AUGUSTA – A 26-year-old Gardiner man will spend 15 days in jail for stealing items from 22 unlocked vehicles in that city around the new year.

Christopher D. Robbins was sentenced last week in Augusta District Court. He pleaded guilty to 22 counts of burglary of a motor vehicle and 11 counts of theft by unauthorized taking.

The car burglaries occurred from Dec. 24, 2010, to Jan. 4, on Central Street and Dresden and River avenues.

Robbins’ attorney, Lisa Whittier, said she had argued that Robbins should serve only five days for the crimes. “My client took full responsibility, and he paid the restitution up front,” Whittier said.

The restitution, which was part of the sentence, was $382.

District Attorney Evert Fowle said the state had requested the term. He said Robbins had no prior criminal record, and when he was summonsed on several car burglary charges, he told police about additional ones.