A Northland man who walked into a sporting goods shop and stole a gun has been sentenced to three months in jail.
Alastair Litt, 40, earlier admitted in the Whangārei District Court to stealing a .22 LR Chiappa Little Badger single barrel foldable rifle and 100 .22 rifle rounds valued at $400 on June 13. He also admitted possessing a firearm without having a firearms licence.
A police summary of facts said Litt went into Hunting and Fishing on Rust Ave in Whangārei about 4.20pm and spent several minutes looking at firearms and ammunition. Minutes later he grabbed the Chiappa rifle and manoeuvred it past a metal barrier.
When a shop assistant walked by, he leaned it up against a shelf. Litt took ammunition and put it in a bag before hiding the firearm under his clothing and walking out.
Two weeks later, police searched Litt's Maungakaramea property where he showed them the rifle hidden in scrub.