They included the ring, which Bennett returned but it was by then devalued by half, two brand new Samsung cellphones from a retail outlet, alcohol and cartons of cigarettes.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll pay it all back,\u201d Bennett said via video link from a prison cell, where he had been in custody for five months awaiting sentence.<\/p>\n
Because it would take him about 16 years to repay the amount, Judge Tony Snell did not impose a reparation order.<\/p>\n
He said all victims were businesses likely with insurance cover<\/a>, but accepted they would have excesses to cover.<\/p>\n Bennett had earlier admitted charges<\/a> of robbery by assault and three shoplifting charges committed in March and April this year.<\/p>\n Dollimore said Bennett\u2019s files showed a \u201cchronic history\u201d of mental health challenges, but Judge Snell said he \u201cdidn\u2019t appear affected by mental health<\/a>\u201d at the time.<\/p>\n He accepted Bennett had an \u201cenduring mental illness\u201d but there was no link between that and the offending.<\/p>\n He acknowledged Bennett\u2019s \u201cwell-crafted apology letter\u201d was genuine.<\/p>\n \u201cYou make no excuses for what you did and you say that when you reflected on the victims you now recognise they were affected, particularly the woman in the jewellery store,\u201d Judge Snell said.<\/p>\n Bennett\u2019s spree began on March 31 with the theft of two bottles of brandy from a liquor store and ended days later with the theft of the ring.<\/p>\n On April 2, Bennett went into a central Nelson Spark retail store, asked to see two cellphones worth $5010, and fled with them when they were placed on the counter.<\/p>\n On the morning of April 4 Bennett stole a $949 gaming console from The Warehouse<\/a> in Nelson. He asked to see it, then grabbed it and ran when the staff member brought it out from behind the counter.<\/p>\n Earlier that day, he stole tobacco and cartons of cigarettes worth between $1500 and $2000 from a Nelson dairy.<\/p>\n As the cashier tried to stop Bennett, they were smacked on the hand and threatened.<\/p>\n The offence formed the lead charge of robbery by assault, but Judge Snell accepted there was low-level violence.<\/p>\n Later that morning, Bennett went to Pascoes jewellery store in central Nelson<\/a> and asked to see a particular ring.<\/p>\n The ring, worth $2700, was placed on the counter but Bennett grabbed it and ran off.<\/p>\n He later returned it, but its value had halved, police said.<\/p>\n Judge Snell said they were \u201cbrazen thefts\u201d of high-value goods taken by a similar method each time. <\/p>\n \u201cYou asked to look at the item, then fled, never to be seen again.\u201d<\/p>\n