Nicholas Phillip Milner, 28, bought a cordless drill for $284 from Bunnings at Kings Meadows on November 9 last year.

On Thursday, police prosecutor Paul Turner told Launceston Magistrates Court that Milner took the drill to Bunnings in Devonport and exchanged it for a store credit about a week after he initially purchased it.

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Mr Turner said two weeks after Milner visited Bunnings at Devonport, he went back to Bunnings in Kings Meadows with another damaged drill and requested a refund.

Bunnings staff told Milner he could not exchange the drill because he had already returned one to Bunnings at Devonport.

Mr Turner said Milner became agitated with staff and reached over the counter, removed another drill and walked out of the store with it.

Milner pleaded guilty to one count of stealing, but he disputed some aspects in the police version of events.

"I didn't reach behind the counter, it was actually the staff that got the second drill from behind the counter," Milner said in court.

Milner also said he purchased multiple drills from Bunnings and got a "bad batch" so he wanted the business to sort out the problem.

"I felt like I wasn't getting nowhere," he said.

"I was just having a bad day and I just said look 'Nah stuff it I need to go back to work'."

Magistrate Ken Stanton said Milner was not entitled to take the drill.

"In your frustration, you let the traits of your previous lifestyle come back when you ought to have exercised some self-control," Mr Stanton told Milner.

Milner was convicted and fined $500.