TEMUKA, NZ — Shay Robert Richards, 28, has pleaded guilty to charges related to theft and receiving stolen property in connection with an incident at the Ōpihi River near Temuka. Richards and 21-year-old Mickayla Elizabeth Panting-Bye both admitted to stealing equipment valued at over $1,000 from a work vehicle, as well as receiving a stolen Mitsubishi van valued at $9,230.
The thefts occurred between August 2 and 4. Panting-Bye also pleaded guilty to possessing a knife in a public place during a court hearing on August 20 via audio-visual link from prison. Richards entered his plea in front of Judge Campbell Savage on Tuesday.
The two had traveled to the riverbank in the stolen van, originally taken from Algo Motors in Rolleston in May. At the riverbank, the victim’s work vehicles, including a heavy motor vehicle and digger, were present. Richards and Panting-Bye broke a window to enter the work vehicle and took items valued over $1,000. When confronted by the victim as they tried to flee, they dropped the stolen items but got stuck in loose gravel, leading to their arrest.
Police noted the stolen van had homemade number plates and a tampered ignition requiring a screwdriver to start. Judge Savage commented that Richards’ actions were “not clever offending” but acknowledged his previous efforts to stay out of trouble.
Panting-Bye, who has a history of methamphetamine-related offenses, has been in custody since her arrest. Both will be sentenced in Timaru District Court on November 26.
