Recidivist car thief part of burglary ring behind $350k worth of thefts avoids jail

A recidivist Christchurch car thief who continued targeting expensive vehicles not long after being released from prison has avoided a second jail term.

Leigh Marc Fraser, 33, appeared for sentencing on 31 theft and burglary-related charges in front of Judge Raoul Neave at the Christchurch District Court on Wednesday.

Fraser was jailed for two years, seven months in late 2019 after pleading guilty to 16 similar charges. He unsuccessfully appealed the sentence later that year.

Despite his history, Judge Neave sentenced Fraser to two years’ intensive supervision, credited largely to his “rehabilitation efforts”.

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The judge gave Fraser considerable credit for attending drug rehabilitation programmes for his methamphetamine addiction – the main driver of his crimes.

A further prison sentence was not in anyone’s best interests and would undo all of Fraser’s hard work to date, the judge said.

Fraser had gone “above and beyond” in his rehabilitation efforts and because of time he previously spent in custody and on bail, a home detention sentence was also “too harsh a punishment,” the judge said.

He faced 10 charges of burglary, four thefts of a motor vehicle, three of unlawfully taking a motor vehicle, six of receiving stolen property over $1000, four of receiving stolen property under $500, and three of theft.

According to the summary of facts, Fraser was part of a burglary ring with three others including his partner between June and September 2021. The group was involved with stolen property worth at least $350,000 – a figure likely to be higher due to a number of vehicles never recovered.

Fraser was often in possession of vehicles during this period – either by stealing them himself or receiving them from others – and would repurpose them with new parts to disguise them.

The stolen vehicles included a $75,000 HSV GTS VE Holden Commodore stolen from Blackwells Moorhouse Ave, a 2021 Mazda BT-50 ute worth $50,000, a $30,000 Mitsubishi Evolution, and two Subaru Impreza WRX STI cars worth $25,000 and $20,000.

On the evening of July 11 and July 12, 2021, Fraser and his associates also stole three Toyota Hiace vans from Wholesale Cars on Aldwins Rd. One of the stolen vans was found abandoned with new plates.

On the same evening, the group stole a Seadoo jetski and trailer worth $22,000 from NBM Performance Jet Skis on Matlock St, along with $10,000 Yamaha jet ski.

Between September 3 and September 6, Fraser and his associates cut multiple holes in the fencing of PTS Logistics yard in Halswell.

A number of vehicles were stolen from the yard including a Toyota Vanguard SUV, a Subaru Forrester SUV, a Mazda RX7 and a Nissan Skyline 350GT.

The group used cars they’d already stolen and disguised with new plates to commission further thefts over several months.

They targeted car yards after hours and mostly cut padlocks or fences or rammed the gates down in the vehicles they previously stole.

Other car yards targeted included AJ Motors Ltd, Morrison Cars, Euromarque Cars, PTS Logistics, DR Collision, Auto Dreams Car Sales, and Wheeler Motor Company.

Private cars were also targeted and many were never recovered.

Police also located a number of other items in Fraser’s possession thought to be stolen and used in crimes, particularly power tools. An order for destruction of these items was sought.

Fraser will be under judicial monitoring as part of his intensive supervision, meaning Judge Neave will receive monthly reports on his progress during his sentence.