Discarded butt stubs out man’s offending

Published date10 April 2021
AuthorKelly Makiha
Date10 April 2021
Publication titleDaily Post, The (Rotorua, New Zealand)
It was the start of a crime spree that saw Te Urewera Lionel Epiha go on to break into the Life Education mobile classroom bus and steal more than $9000 worth of equipment, including computers.

But it was that cigarette butt that helped police nail him for his crime by tracing his DNA.

Epiha, 30, appeared in Rotorua District Court and plead guilty to eight charges, including burglary, theft from a car, two counts of driving without a licence, receiving stolen property valued at more than $1000, unlawfully possessing ammunition, giving false details to police and theft.

Court details outline his offending.

Epiha, from Murupara, went to a business property on Kahikatea St in the town sometime between March 25 and May 3 last year. The property was vacant due to the COVID-19 lockdown.

He forced open a rear window and stole two flat-screen televisions, a Ryobi drop saw, a Ryobi planer, a Ryobi vacuum and a 10-litre pale of paint.

According to the police summary, officers found the discarded cigarette butt during a search of the building. DNA on it was linked back to Epiha.

But before police arrested him, Epiha broke into the Life Education bus sometime between 10pm on September 16 and 9am on September 17.

He stole 14 laptops valued at $460 each, a data projector valued at $1682, a JBL Party Box speaker valued at $500, a reversing camera display valued at $339 and a $49...

To continue reading

Request your trial

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT