Matthew Edward Barnes, 55, appeared in the Dunedin District Court yesterday after sneaking into the same garden shed at least half a dozen times in a month.
The bizarre spate of burglaries in the leafy suburb of Maori Hill began on August 21, 2024, when Barnes made the 200m stroll from his home to the victims’ address.
CCTV captured the defendant covering his hands with his sleeves before entering the shed.
After snooping around for nearly 10 minutes, while the oblivious residents were inside their house, he left through a neighbouring church field.
A couple of weeks later, Barnes was back, again using his sleeves to avoid leaving fingerprints at the crime scene.
This time he was pictured leaving with a 2m fibreglass fishing rod and reel worth $200.
After a change of clothes, Barnes returned a few hours later.
He made off with a polytarp-material planting bag and a wood-handled shovel.
The following week came the more unusual crime.
On September 11 at 5.16pm, Barnes made the now routine walk from his home to the victims’ place, covered his hands and ventured into the shed once more.
A minute later, CCTV showed him leave carrying a fossilised moa thigh bone.
"The value of this is unable to be determined but holds significance to the victims," a police summary said.
The Wildlife Act prohibits the purchase and sale of the bones, eggs and "other parts" of moa or other species that are generally believed to be extinct.
Barnes also made off with a spade, grubber, hoe, rope and a plastic bag with unknown contents over the following week.
When confronted by police he initially denied any role in the burglaries but later came clean and said he would return the property to the victims.
In a letter to the court, Barnes said he was "really sorry" for his actions, but Judge David Robinson questioned his remorse.
In November, while on bail, the defendant entered another stranger’s garage in Maori Hill.
He stole a can of paint and wheeled a lawnmower to Highgate before abandoning it.
Barnes said he was "acting on impulse" but beyond that was unable to explain his string of break-ins.
He was convicted of three counts of burglary — taking his total to six since 2023 — and sentenced to 10 months’ home detention.
The court heard he was now receiving treatment for his addiction and mental health issues and had abstained from alcohol for the past two months.
Barnes was also ordered to pay $550 reparation.
