Teenager admits to taking newlyweds' gifts

A teenager has admitted breaking into Whangarei newly-weds' vehicle and stealing their wedding gifts during a crime spree spanning two months, in which he also targeted homes.

Clintel Austin Lemon, 17, also pounced on a crashed car and removed more than $5000 worth of items while the vehicle owner was in hospital recovering from injuries he suffered in the accident.

Lemon appeared in the Whangarei District Court and admitted to three charges of burglary, two of theft from cars, and one of aggravated robbery.

The crime spree started when Lemon broke into a house on Western Hills Dr between March 9 and 10 and stole binoculars and a gold and diamond ring.

Lemon's fingerprints were located at the property.

About 10 days later, he broke into another house on Mill Rd and stole a tablet, a watch, a boom speaker, and a money box. Less than a week later, he burgled a house on Kamo Rd and removed a large amount of jewellery, $500 cash, and clothes. His fingerprints were again located at the property.

On March 27, Henry Beattie and Tina Cachemaille-Beattie parked their Toyota Highlander on Rathbone St and went to celebrate their wedding in the city.

About 2am on March 28, Lemon smashed the vehicle's rear quarter window and stole wedding gifts, gift vouchers, a cellphone, cash, and a card holder.

Only the card holder and cellphone were recovered.

On April 2, he removed cellphones, bedding, a concert ticket, a speaker, tools and clothes valued at more than $5000 from a crashed car on Bank St after the driver had been taken to hospital.

Police recovered the concert ticket and a watch from Lemon's house on William Jones Dr, Otangarei.

The same day, Lemon and an associate grabbed a man in a headlock in an alleyway in central Whangarei, dragged him to the ground and took an iPhone, driver's licence and wallet containing about $60 cash. The victim offered to withdraw cash in exchange for his property back.

He withdrew $200 from an ATM on Rathbone St and Lemon grabbed the money and ran away.

Lemon has been released on bail to re-appear for sentencing on June 21.