Fifty-year-old Peter James Stubberfield of Queen Street, Molong pleaded guilty to larceny before magistrate Terry Lucas at Orange Local Court.

Mr Stubberfield, a builder by trade, was charged for stealing $5000 worth of property, including a 14m by 7m shed frame and two roller doors.

A police statement said the stolen materials were in a yard of a Molong property, which was being sold, at the time of the offence. 

It stated the tenant at the property was evicted on Wednesday, March 23 and when the victim’s partner visited the site two days later the shed materials and roller doors were missing.

When questioned, the previous tenant said the items were there when he left.

On April 11, the victims partner contacted police again with new information and a possible address at Cumnock.

Police visited the property, owned by Mr Stubberfield’s step-father, the following day and found materials lying on a concrete slab, which the victim positively identified.

The materials were returned to the owner and on Wednesday, May 25 police visited Mr Stubberfield at his house.

According to the police statement when asked why he stole the materials Mr Stubberfield said, ”yeah, I thought the place was going for auction, I didn’t know it was a private sale.

“If I had, I just would have taken it back.

“It has just been there for like eight years so I thought I would get a good one and no one would miss it.”

When he was asked why he took the shed frame and doors the police statement quoted him as saying, “nah, no idea”.

However, he defended his step-father when asked why he took the materials to Cumnock.

“Well that’s my step dad’s property. But they had nothing to do with it, it was all me, they didn’t even know it was there,” Mr Stubberfield said.

Because the shed frame and roller doors were returned compensation was not sought.