Full Breakdown
Jarrod Bennett Sentenced for Series of High-Value Thefts in Nelson
By Drooid · · How we work
Crime Spree and Arrest
Between March 31 and early April, Jarrod Bennett carried out a string of robberies in Nelson. He began on March 31 by stealing two bottles of brandy from a liquor store. On April 2 he entered a central Nelson Spark retail outlet, requested two Samsung cellphones valued at $5,010, and fled with them after they were placed on the counter. The following morning, April 4, Bennett took a $949 gaming console from The Warehouse, seized tobacco and cartons of cigarettes worth between $1,500 and $2,000 from a local dairy, and later grabbed a $2,700 ring from Pascoes jewellery store. He returned the ring, but police reported its value had halved. The offences involved low-level violence, including a cashier being struck on the hand while attempting to stop him.
Court Findings and Sentencing
After five months in custody, Bennett pleaded guilty to robbery by assault and three shop-lifting charges. Judge Tony Snell sentenced him to two years and two months in prison, noting that full restitution would take roughly 16 years; consequently, no reparation order was imposed. He accepted the presence of an “enduring mental illness” but found no causal link to the crimes. The judge highlighted Bennett’s “well-crafted apology letter” as genuine.
Official Statements & Responses
Snell emphasized that the victims were businesses likely covered by insurance, though excesses would still apply. He described the incidents as “brazen thefts” carried out by a consistent method. Mental-health professional Dollimore, speaking to NZME, confirmed Bennett’s long-standing mental-illness background but reiterated the court’s view that it did not drive the offending. Bennett, via video link from his cell, pledged, “I’ll pay it all back.”
Verbatim Quotes
- “You 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,” — Judge Snell
What’s Next
Bennett will be eligible for parole after serving one-third of his sentence.