Hasley James Maynard, 27, pleaded guilty to a number of charges when he appeared in the Launceston Magistrates Court on Thursday. He was sentenced to 45 days imprisonment backdated to when he was taken into custody.

His lawyer Rosie Battaglene said Maynard was not the mastermind behind the crimes, they were opportunistic and not sophisticated.

Maynard started using illicit drugs casually about two years ago, but that use heavily increased when he lost his licence earlier this year.

It was after this Maynard started associating people involved in drugs more often and his life "spiralled".

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Maynard's six dishonesty offences occurred over a two-year period.

In August a Mazda truck was broken into and a chainsaw, worth $300, stolen. On the same night, a Toyota Hilux was also broken into causing $700 damage and a drill stolen.

Maynard said when his friends picked him up the chainsaw and drill were already in the car.

The prosecution said two people were seen with bolt cutters later that night taking about $300 of property at the unoccupied Becks Hardware site. When police attended, they also located the chainsaw and drill in the vehicle.

In September, Maynard was charged with stealing 32 lengths of timber from Becks Home Hardware worth $640.50.

He said he was just helping a mate carry it. Maynard and his co-accused dropped the timber on the banks of the Tamar River and ran from the scene when police saw them.

He also broke in to a house under construction in West Launceston where he had done some work before losing his licence and stole about $5000 worth of materials including copper sheeting, insulation, and Beacon light fittings. Maynard said the copper was taken out of a skip bin after his boss went home, but his boss said he had not worked for him for a number of months.

In June this year, Maynard also stole a dishwasher, oven and two shower heads worth about $5000 from an unoccupied Prospect house.

Maynard was also seen at a property that Tasmania Fire Service was called to for a fire and located about 20 kilograms of copper.

The goods he stole, and the damages caused were about $11,600 in total. A number of compensation applications were made.

Maynard was also given a 12 month community corrections order and ordered to pay $860.40 fees and charges.

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