A 25 year old serving prisoner was sentenced to one year imprisonment to be served concurrently with his current term after he pleaded guilty to stealing number plates.

Police Prosecutor Inspector Isikeli Raisuni told the court that Maika Burenivalu stole the number plate of a vehicle belonging to the Deputy Ambassador of Korea while the vehicle was parked at his residence in Tamavua on March 3rd this year.

Then on March 19th, Burenivalu stole another pair of number plates belonging to an IT expert from the Westpac Bank.

Inspector Raisuni told the court that Burenivalu and four others were spotted by Korovou police travelling in a stolen vehicle and alerted Rakiraki Police and a Dog Unit Team also followed the four all the way to Rakiraki where police had mounted a check point to arrest them.

Upon spotting the roadblock, the four abandoned the vehicle and fled into the bushes and the Dog Unit pursued them some 30 kilometers inland where they were arrested.

Burenivalu had initially pleaded not guilty, however upon seeing the Korean Ambassador and other witnesses in court today changed his plea.

He asked to seek forgiveness from the Ambassador and the other victims.

He is serving a six year prison term for robbery and his current sentence is to be served concurrent to the term.