KEY POINTS:
Warren Joseph Cruden is a career criminal who targets tourists.
The 45-year-old breaks into hotels, backpackers hostels, and motels.
He has spent most of his adult life in jail and got four more years of that at a resentencing by Judge Phillip Moran in Christchurch District Court yesterday.
His original conviction was overturned on appeal, but he was convicted at a second jury trial.
Judge Moran said he was not surprised by the two verdicts - the evidence was overwhelming - and he imposed the same sentence Cruden got after the original trial.
Crown prosecutor Pip Currie handed the judge a report on Cruden's "career".
It comprises: 45 convictions for burglary, three for attempted burglary, four for possession of burglary tools, two for injuring with intent, six for receiving stolen property, 16 for theft, 10 for being found unlawfully in a yard or building, and one for lurking near a building.
"The public is entitled to have a break from Mr Cruden and his activities," she said.
Through defence counsel Rupert Glover, Cruden said he had had more than enough of his career as a criminal.
He climbed a fire escape to force a window at a tourist hotel in central Christchurch, where he took $1300 in American currency.
He took the loot to the casino and changed it to New Zealand money.
Mrs Currie said the theft had disappointed the young American couple from Northville, New York State, who had only arrived in New Zealand on holiday the day before.
Judge Moran described Cruden as "a sad and unfortunate man" who now said he wanted to give up his life of crime.
"The impact on the tourist industry and the reputation of New Zealand and this city cannot be ignored.
"The tourist industry is very valuable to this country and it is a bad feature of your offending that you were targeting tourists," he said.
- NZPA
