Judge adds year to sentence for machinery theft

A Northland man has had another year added to his sentence after he admitted to receiving stolen machinery.

A Northland drug dealer serving time in prison had 12 months added to his sentence after he admitted receiving a stolen excavator worth $95,000.

Keith John Mills, 29, was sentenced by the Whangarei District Court in October to five years and five months in jail after a jury found him guilty on charges of unlawful possession of a firearm and possession of methamphetamine for supply.

He re-appeared in court last week for sentencing on one charge of receiving an excavator, worth $95,000, which was stolen from a commercial yard in Auckland.

Judge John McDonald said police found the stolen machinery on top of Mills' truck at his home in Roberts' West Rd, Arapohue, about 16km southeast of Dargaville, when they raided it looking for drugs on January 29 last year.

He said the offence was premeditated and there was a commercial element to Mills' offending as he knew the excavator would be a valuable asset for his business. Mills was either a thief or arranged for someone to steal the excavator, the judge said.

He ordered the return of the excavator to Hire Pool.

In January last year, police recovered almost 30gm of methamphetamine, two illegal guns and $12,000 in cash from Mills' home during a raid.

The property was monitored by security cameras that could be watched from inside the house. Mills said the methamphetamine and cash belonged to a Head Hunters gang member who had visited him.