After a period of meticulous planning, Reice Tama Silbery and his alleged co-accused struck a series of homes with one main item in mind - stealing high-end jewellery and handbags.

That planning ultimately paid off for Silbery, the getaway driver, who, over five months, stole around $1 million in property from various locations around the North Island.

Silbery was a father of six and grandfather of one, and hadn’t appeared in court before this spree began in May 2024.

His counsel, Amin Osama, told Judge Noel Cocurullo in the Hamilton District Court that it was when his client discovered meth in his 30s that his life began unravelling.

A chance chat at the pub playing pokies resulted in him helping to steal tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of property from people’s homes.

On one occasion, two Rolex watches, handbags, and other jewellery were stolen from a Flagstaff house, worth approximately $100,000, while eight World War II medals were fleeced from a home.

Given Silbery had pleaded guilty to 37 burglary charges, he knew he was going to jail, but Osama was aiming for up to 60% in discounts in the hope of making that stint as short as possible.

‘Gold, silver, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Rolex, Burberry’

The first house to be struck was on May 16, 2024.

Silbery drove his co-accused there and eventually made off with

a bag, a gold necklace, other jewellery, and coins.

The next day, they went to another home, andstole roughly $10,000 worth of jewellery.

For each of the 37 burglaries jewellery, cash, Gucci or Louis Vuitton bags or other expensive property was stolen.

The rooms were ransacked as drawers were rummaged through, and boxes and containers searched.

On September 4, the pair hit a house in a different location. When the family returned from the supermarket they found $75,000 worth of belongings - diamond rings and earrings, two Louis Vuitton handbags, a Gucci handbag, a Rolex watch, and a Burberry backpack - gone.

Police searched Silbery’s Huntly home on October 18, and found a plastic rubbish sack containing several valuable handbags in the roof cavity, a small amount of jewellery and some war medals around the house.

Some of the stolen handbags recovered by police. Photo / Police

He said bags in the roof were not hidden - they were just stored there.

Silbery told police he thought something wasn’t right, but he “really needed the money”.

‘He wasn’t able to make rational decisions’

Silbery had earlier accepted a sentence indication from Judge Cocurullo of an eight-and-a-half-year jail starting point, with a 20% deduction for his guilty pleas.

Osama pushed for a further 40% in discounts for his drug addiction, remorse, attending restorative justice, previous good character, and the impact of a jail term on his children.

“Yes, he’s messed up in a colossal way, but it does not mean that before he did that, he wasn’t a person of good character.”

That was evidenced by the 17 character references from Silbery’s friends and associates in the community, employers, teammates from sporting teams, iwi, along with affidavits from whānau.

His father’s affidavit explained how Silbery’s meth and gambling addictions got so severe that he had to become the guarantor of his house to stop the bank taking it.

Osama said Silbery had a good start to life, and was gainfully employed through his 20s.

“His life started to become undone at the age of 30 when he started taking methamphetamine, and that led to a withdrawal from his community and family, and his isolation and severe addiction emerged to the point where he lost his job, and his partner left him.”

It was in that context that he met his co-accused, Osama said.

As for knowing his actions were wrong, that was overshadowed by his addictions, which hampered his ability to make rational decisions.

Since his arrest, Silbery had been trying to rehabilitate himself in custody, completing courses and getting himself a job in the prison’s kitchen.

“This is very serious offending. Yes, he was caught, but he has done everything right since then. He has expressed his remorse many, many times now.”

Judge Cocurullo said Silbery owed his victims reparation, but he couldn’t pay it, so he declined to order it, stating it would only re-victimise them.

He agreed to allow 50% in discounts, including 15% for his previous good character, and 15% for attending restorative justice, efforts at rehabilitation, and addiction.

Silbery was jailed for four years and three months.

Belinda Feek is an Open Justice reporter based in Waikato. She has worked at NZME for 11 years and has been a journalist for 22.