A Hawke's Bay burglar thought wearing a white sheet meant he would be disguised from security cameras.

A thief went on a burgling spree believing that, if he wore a white sheet, he would not be seen by security cameras.

When police nabbed Hastings man Mark Hokianga and his alleged accomplice in May, they found a notebook outlining his method of using the sheet.

By that stage he had broken into 11 bars or restaurants and had stolen more than $5500 and two cash registers.

The men's spree began on the evening of April 25. They broke into various premises across Hawke's Bay, including the Stortford Lodge Social Club, the Storty Bar, Roosters Brewhouse, the Clive Hotel and the National Service Club in Hastings, the Taradale Tavern, Taradale TAB, the Sideline Bar and Breakers Restaurant in Napier and Skinny Mulligans and Farriers Arms Hotel in Waipawa and Waipukurau,

They set off security alarms in seven of the 11 premises and, in all but three burglaries, they left with nothing. But they did cause $13,044.25 in damage to the properties.

Police pulled their vehicle over on the outskirts of Hastings in the early hours of May 15, shortly after the Farriers Arms Hotel had been burgled.

Police found the white sheet the men used, as well as a notebook listing different bars in Hawke's Bay, the potential till takings from each and the types of security systems believed to be at the bars.

The notebook also described the method of using a white sheet, which they believed would disguise them from security systems.

Hokianga, who turns 26 next week, pleaded guilty to 11 charges of burglary and appeared in Hastings District Court on Wednesday.

His lawyer, Richard Stone, told Judge Bridget Mackintosh that Hokianga was very remorseful.

"This is devastating for him. He's never been to prison before and this has been a complete shock to him. If ever prison does have a deterrent effect for an individual, this was one of those cases."

Crown lawyer Megan Mitchell said the burglaries were premeditated and the damage to property was significant.

Judge Mackintosh said the offending was "relatively unsophisticated" and she acknowledged Hokianga's remorse, but the offending was of a scale that required a prison sentence.

She sentenced him to two years and three months' jail.