Navy ammunition thief jailed
IAN STEWARD
Relevant offers
Crime
Threat to neighbour locks down streets Rapist, murderer jailed 19 years Ex-AB Bachop accused of assaulting partner Landlord’s instinct uncovers p-lab Stolen cars used in ATM ramraids Assault charge after man dies No judge so accused out on bail More arrests in Queenstown kidnapping case Tougher law to protect children hailed Five police cars damaged in high-speed city chase
An Auckland chef who stole ammunition, grenades and flares from a navy depot has been sentenced to 25 months in prison.
Joshua Vincenzo Thornton, 25, of Glenfield, was arrested in August after the burglary at the Kauri Pt depot on Auckland’s North Shore.
Armed police raided his house and recovered 5.56mm calibre rounds used in rifles, 9mm rounds used in pistols, smoke grenades and other military pyrotechnics.
Police have recovered 90 per cent of what was stolen – but some was thought to be stashed in bush surrounding the depot.
Thorton was sentenced in the North Shore District Court by Judge David McNaughton.
Thornton was already on judicial monitoring for another set of offences so he was sentenced for those as well, although the burglary charge was the lead offence.
He was sentenced for burglary, theft, obtaining by deception, two breaches of intensive supervision, receiving stolen property and driving with excess breath alcohol.
In setting the sentence, the judge took into account Thornton’s remorse and early guilty pleas.
Police earlier said Thornton had taken them to the scene three times and showed them what he had done.
Thornton had crossed a 12-foot-high barbed wire fence to get the items.
Navy logistics commander Captain David Proctor said immediate changes to security had been made.
“I want to reassure the public that Kauri Pt and its handling of ammunitions is safe.”
– Auckland Now
Sponsored links
Discover more from JC's Royal New Zealand Navy, World Navies, Military News, Lighthouses and other Marine News-
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.