Belgian base jumper appears in court for Auckland burglary charges
Tuesday 27 October 2026 · 4 outlets · 4 reports · updated 
Ilies Nait El Cadi, a 22-year-old Belgian tourist, appeared in the Auckland District Court on two burglary charges. He is alleged to have jumped from an Albert Street hotel and the Seascape skyscraper. The defendant did not enter a plea and has been remanded on bail.
Key facts
5 facts
- Defendant: Ilies Nait El Cadi, 22, from Belgium
- Charges: Two counts of burglary
- Location: Hotel Indigo (Albert Street) and Seascape Tower (Custom Street West)
- Damage: Approximately $20,000 from a smashed window
- Court: Auckland District Court
The full story
1 min read · 4 outlets
Ilies Nait El Cadi, a 22-year-old from Belgium, appeared in Auckland District Court on Tuesday facing two burglary charges. The charges relate to base jumping incidents at Hotel Indigo on Albert Street and the under-construction Seascape Tower on Custom Street West. Nait El Cadi did not enter a plea but indicated a desire to resolve the case quickly.
The defendant was remanded on bail by Judge Nicola Mathers, who granted a two-day adjournment for mediation. Bail conditions include a nighttime curfew and prohibitions against possessing parachute equipment or posting on social media.
The burglary charges stem from a jump last Tuesday night at Hotel Indigo, where Nait El Cadi became stuck 23 floors up after his parachute caught on a metal bar. Firefighters smashed a glass panel to reach him, causing an estimated $20,000 in damage.
Police also allege Nait El Cadi is the person who filmed a 187-metre jump from the Seascape Tower on 25 June. While base jumping is not illegal, the circumstances of these incidents led to the charges.
How it developed
- Tue 27 Oct, 1:11pmThe report identifies the defendant's social media screen name as 'ilies_nec' and notes he did not seek name suppression.
Where reports differ
- One report states the damage caused by the rescue was $20,000, while another states it was more than $20,000.
Compiled from reports by 1News, NZ Herald, RNZ and Otago Daily Times.
