A vagrant who stole a woman's handbag turned himself in to Police, Magistrates' Court heard.

Steven Mills, 46, pleaded guilty to stealing a handbag on April 30 from a restaurant on Front Street.

The court heard from Senior Crown counsel Paula Tyndale that the complainant was sitting at the bar of the restaurant with friends when she decided to use the bathroom.

She left her handbag on the bar with her two friends. When she returned the bag was gone along with her friends so she called the Police.

Later that day, Mills went to the Hamilton Police Station and told officers he had taken the bag off the bar and went into the men's restroom where he threw the bag away but kept the items inside including a Canon camera, a Motorola cell phone, a variety of make-up and a ring of keys all valued at $1,423.

Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo ordered a social inquiry report and remanded Mills into custody until he is sentenced on May 28.