Troy Cork-Svenson committed more than a dozen mostly commercial burglaries, but his youth saved him from going to prison.
The 19-year-old went on a six-month burglary spree in Whangarei with his younger brother and others, taking thousands of dollars worth of loot.
He had earlier pleaded guilty to 13 charges of burglary and two of theft and appeared for sentencing in the Whangarei District Court on Friday. Judge Duncan Harvey sentenced him to 11 months' home detention at his grandparents' home in Hokianga and ordered that he perform 150 hours' community work.
"If you breach your home detention and come before me for sentence, I am going to send you to prison. It's as simple as that," he warned.
When arrested, Cork-Svenson admitted committing the crimes because he wanted to make some money.