Saleswoman Admits Theft Of £6995 From Employers

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28896, 16 May 1959, Page 14

Saleswoman Admits Theft Of £6995 From Employers

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, May 15. The almost fantastic tale of an elderly woman who hoarded nearly £7OOO of stolen money in a suitcase was unfolded in evidence before Mr J. B. Thomson, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court at Wellington today. In the dock, supported by a police matron, was Pearl Anne Barton, aged 67, a widow, who faced five charges of theft. Four of the charges related to the theft of small sums and a quantity of clothing. The fifth charge related to the theft of £6995. Barton pleaded guilty to all the charges. A sixth charge of the theft of a small sum was withdrawn by the Court on the application of the police prosecutor (Mr C. J. Smillie). The Magistrate remanded Barton a week for sentence and a probation officer’s report. He directed that during the remand at Arohata prison, Barton be given any medical aid required. Mr Smillie said Barton was employed by the D.I.C. for about six years and a half, the greater part of that time as an underwear saleswoman. In February she came under suspicion, he said, “Barton was watched and on March 24 she was seen to pocket 9s 9d from a cash sale without ringing the sale on the cash register and without filling out a sale docket,” said Mr Smillie. A similar method for the theft of 3s 3d on the same day was used by Barton. On March 26, a member of the C. 1.8. made a purchase from Barton and she was observed to pocket the cash from the sale, said Mr Smillie. The police stated that for the six years and a half she was employed by the D.I.C. she had stolen £6995 by pocketing the money from sales. She had told Detective-Ser-geaftt A. H. Hart that she stole an average of £2O a, week and stored it in denominations of £5 notes in a suitcase. She said that when she was detected she gave the suitcase “containing about £7000” to a friend. Mr Smillie said the suitcase and contents were discovered by the police and with the exception

of about £5O the £6995 was in £5 notes. He said Barton told the police she had spent none of the stolen money. “For the financial year ended July 31, 1958, the D.I.C. had a deficiency of £l5OO in the department in which Barton worked,” said Mr Smillie. “It was also shown that Barton’s cash transactions were 17 per cent, less than the - other saleswomen.” He said Barton had not previously appeared before the Court. For Barton. Mr G. C. Kent reserved his submissions. He said he could not speak too highly of the consideration shown his client by the police.