ATM card thief goes on big spending spree | Rotorua News | Local News in Rotorua

Tama Pihema stole an elderly woman's handbag from a Rotorua supermarket trolley before stealing close to $4000 of her money.

When he stole the money, Pihema had been on parole after serving a jail term for bashing a Rotorua police officer in the police cells.

Judge James Weir yesterday sentenced the 22-year-old to nine months' jail after he previously pleaded guilty to one charge of theft and one of fraud. Pihema was also ordered to pay reparation of $3718.

According to the police summary of facts, Pihema was at Pak 'n Save supermarket in Rotorua on May 3 this year when he saw a handbag left unattended in a trolley. Pihema stole the handbag, which belonged to a 76-year-old woman.

He managed to find the PIN number to the woman's bank card written in her diary. Pihema used the bank card 19 times within an hour. He withdrew $1600 from an ATM machine and used the card in various stores to buy goods, the summary of facts said.

When spoken to by police, Pihema said he had to feed his children and that no one was going to give a job to someone with his criminal history.

Judge Weir said Pihema was on parole when he stole the bag and used the bank card after being sentenced in 2008 to four years' jail.

Pihema was sentenced to jail after pleading guilty to seriously assaulting a police officer in the Rotorua police cells in 2007.

Judge Weir said he had seen a letter from Pihema in which he expressed his remorse for the theft and use of the bank card.

However, Judge Weir said he did not accept or believe the letter.

Judge Weir said Pihema's justification for the offending that he needed to feed his children didn't stack up.

"The money was used for all sorts of things, including alcohol and cigarettes."

Judge Weir said Pihema had four pages' worth of previous convictions.

Defence lawyer Andy Schulze said Pihema's parole was due to expire in May next year but authorities had applied to recall him to prison. A hearing on that matter was expected to take place next month and Mr Schulze said he was concerned about the length of jail term to be imposed and the impact that could have on his recall to prison.

Two other people charged in connection with the theft and fraud were yet to be dealt with by the courts.