A serial thief has been sentenced, after stealing over 60-thousand-dollars, including from tip jars and donation boxes

Open Justice reports Michael Max Tupago was sentenced for 57 charges, following a 13-month crime spree from Northland to Waikato.

Court documents outline how he targeted businesses to fuel his meth addiction, and how his partner distracted staff while he nicked items from the counter.

Tupago was facing a maximum punishment of up to 17-years in prison, but he was sentenced to 11-months home detention, to be spent at a rehab facility.

Judge Pippa Sinclair noted he's already spent more than a year in custody and is making progress in recovery.