The Southern Star Lodge in Collingwood St, Nelson, where a human skull and bones were stolen.

﻿A Nelson man who stole a human skull and bones from a Masonic lodge said he would return the stolen goods in exchange for meth.

Cayden John Minto, 27, pleaded guilty to a charge of burglary and another of blackmail when he appeared in the Nelson District Court on Thursday.

A police summary facts said overnight on December 1, Minto broke into the Southern Star Lodge on Collingwood St.

MARTIN DE RUYTER The Southern Star Lodge is a meeting place for the Freemasons.

He forced a fire door open, found a key on top of a locked cupboard and used it to access a ceremonial area of the building known as the temple.

Once inside, he took a human skull, assorted human bones, cutlery and books, as well as ceremonial knives, robes and marbles.

The value of the items was estimated to be between $1000 and $1500.

Almost two weeks later, Minto made contact with a member of a fellow Freemasons Lodge in Nelson via Facebook.

He sent messages over several days, claiming he was acting on behalf of someone who had the stolen goods, but was willing to negotiate their safe return.

"Tell them be as fast as possible as the person with it will destroy it and dispose of it if he doesn't get 7 gram," one message read.

The demand was passed on to a member of the Southern Star Lodge. It was believed the person was requesting $7000 for the safe return of the items.

Police later located the stolen items at Minto's former partner's house in Stoke and they were returned to the lodge.

Minto originally denied breaking into the lodge and said he had received the property from someone with an interest in the Freemasons who he refused to name.

He said that "7 gram" was a reference to seven grams of methamphetamine.

Minto was remanded on bail and will be sentenced on July 10.

According to information about Freemasonry online, a skull and crossbones are kept with other symbols in a room called the Chamber of Reflection at Masonic lodges. Candidates for the order visit the room as part of an initiation process.