David Jeffrey Piening pleads guilty to trespassing at abandoned Cement Hill house
A 38-year-old man has claimed he and a friend were searching for “hidden treasure” when they trespassed at an abandoned mansion in Adelaide’s south.
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A man caught trespassing at an abandoned mansion in Seacliff Park told police he was searching for hidden treasure.
David Jeffrey Piening, of Woodville Park, pleaded guilty on Monday in the Christies Beach Magistrates Court to being unlawfully on the Ocean Boulevard premises in February.
The 38-year-old told police he and his friend had been searching for hidden treasure at the now-demolished house.
“He said he’d attended the premises with his co-accused to look for hidden treasure which was buried somewhere in the premises,” a police prosecutor told the court.
“He said after they didn’t find the treasure, he decided to dismantle the kitchen (and) take the stone bench which he intended to use at his own house.
“He said he didn’t know who owns the property and he thought it was abandoned so he didn’t need permission to enter into the building.”
The vacant $3 million home was purchased by building supplies giant Boral in 2012.
Boral originally purchased the home, which is near its Linwood Quarry, to carry out testing.
Earlier this year, the home was demolished after significant damage was caused by vandals.
Piening told the court there was no malice in his actions.
“I thought it was abandoned … because it was smashed up,” he said.
“They knocked it down two days later.”
Magistrate Teresa Anderson convicted Piening of being on the premises unlawfully.
She sentenced him to a $300, 12-month good behaviour bond.
