A HALF-eaten sandwich led police to one of the offenders responsible for a spate of break and enters and vandalism at the Orange Kart Club and Orange Harness Racing Club in March and April this year.
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The 15-year-old boy, who pleaded guilty to several offences on Thursday in Orange Local Court, including the break ins, was discovered by Orange police, who matched his DNA to that of a sandwich he had made himself, but left half of, at the kart club during one of the break ins.
Police obtained a forensic sample from the boy, via a court order, after the boy was sentenced for charges surrounding an incident where he ran into a police officer while riding a motorbike in March.
Police facts said the boy was arrested on August 6 at a training facility after he threatened to kill a teacher with a knife he had found on the premises.
Once he was in custody, officers informed him he would be charged with the break-ins earlier in the year where a lawnmower was smashed, power tools stolen, windows broken and walls and doors smashed.
During the crime spree he was in the company of at least two friends and for the most part he claimed he was acting as look out.
During the incidents the boy was taking methamphetamines, or ice, and said he did not remember most of what had happened.
Police said he appeared to be extremely remorseful.
The magistrate, Terry Lucas, allowed the boy to leave a juvenile correction centre on bail until he is sentenced in October.
His solicitor Peter Ringbauer said since the boy had been in juvenile detention, staff had managed to stabilise his medication and while he was out of custody he would live with his father in Trangie under a curfew.
