Teenager tries to undo his New Year crime

When he woke up on New Year's Day, Harley Taha was ashamed of what he had done. Picture / Bay of Plenty Times

Most people make New Year's resolutions to lose weight or exercise more, but Harley Taha wants to go straight - and he has handed himself in to prove it.

The 17-year-old fronted up at the Mt Maunganui police station this week with four mag wheels he stole from a stranger who gave him a lift on New Year's Eve.

Mr Taha, who has had numerous brushes with the law since he was 6, said the theft happened after someone driving a Holden Commodore picked him up, with some of his intoxicated mates, around 1am and gave them a lift to the Mt Maunganui suburb of Arataki.

But the car ran out of fuel, and while the driver hitched a ride back to Papamoa, Mr Taha removed the mag wheels.

He said his friends had planned to sell them to buy drugs. Then Mr Taha awoke on Sunday morning with a stinking hangover and a nagging conscience. "I was quite freaked out when I realised what I had done. I'm really bummed out about it, especially because I've been drug-free and had kept out of trouble for about four months."

Mr Taha, who said he had been in and out of Child, Youth and Family homes since he was young, has been in trouble before for stealing cars and torching houses. He said that through coming clean he feels like a huge weight has been lifted from his shoulders.

"I have a new job in Pukekohe which I love and my baby son - which my partner Amiria and I plan to name Conrad - due next week. I've decided I just don't want to be constantly looking over my shoulders for the police to turn up any more. I'm going to be a dad soon. I have to grow up some time."

Mr Taha said he wanted to apologise profusely to the owner of the car and knows he will have to put things right with his Pukekohe employer, as he lied on his employment application about whether he had a record.

"Hopefully if I'm upfront with him about this he will be prepared to give me a second chance.

"I have realised that you definitely appreciate life better when you actually work for things, rather than steal from other people."

Detective Inspector Karl Wright-St Clair said Mr Taha was well known to police for many offences.

Mr Wright-St Clair said that despite his admission, Mr Taha will face a theft charge and is due to appear in the Tauranga District Court on Thursday.

"If Mr Taha is serious about his intentions, he has got a real chance to turn away from crime altogether."

With the teenager's help, police are trying to find the car's owner to return his wheels.

- BAY OF PLENTY TIMES