Warren Hanlon had rifled through kitchen cupboards before taking the wallet and a set of keys off a table.

Early the following morning, on August 18, Hanlon used one card to buy $41.15 in items from the North Albury APCO.

An hour later, about 3.40am, he did the same at the BP service station on Wodonga Place, spending $61.20 on various items.

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Hanlon, 35, returned to the victim's Wyse Street unit early that afternoon, using the stolen keys to get inside.

Albury Local Court has heard Hanlon began abusing the victim for reporting the theft to police.

He grabbed the victim's mobile phone, twisting the device in such a way that the screen shattered, before throwing it at a wall.

A friend got to his feet to try to protect him, only to have Hanlon punch him in the face.

Hanlon then grabbed the first man by the hair and rammed his head into a table in the lounge room, inflicting a cut.

The unemployed man pleaded guilty to larceny, two counts of dishonestly obtain financial advantage by deception, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, destroy or damage property and fail to appear on bail.

"So, this is your big chance," magistrate Richard Funston said, "you're not going to be locked up today."

Hanlon was convicted and placed on an 18-month community corrections order.