Expensive spree to Queenstown

Press, 27 July 1976, Page 4

Expensive spree to Queenstown

An 18-year-old youth stole] a $6OOO truck from Ashburton then drove it to Queenstown and stole over $2OOO I worth of goods and petrol. Sergeant J. Dobbs told the Magistrate’s Court yesterday. Donald John Fox, unemployed (Mr K. J. Osborne) was remanded in custody to ! August 2 for a probation report and sentence after pleading guilty to three charges each of burglary and theft .and one each of wilful dam;age and conversion, before Mr B. A. Palmer. S.M. Sergeant Dobbs said that, on July 5, a machine shed at Ashburton was broken into! by the defendant. Fox stole' a pair of bolt cutters, a $3BO .chainsaw and some truck keys. He then used the keys! to steal a $6OOO truck from the property and drove it to Queenstown.

On the way he stole 28 litres of petrol, valued at $7.56, from the New Zealand Forest Service at Naseby. j In Queenstown he tried to break into the premises of' Buckhams Wines and Spirits I Ltd but failed, causing $2O damage. While at the rear of these premises he took a $35 tar-1 paulin. This has been re-1 covered. He then went to Tasman Rental Cars and siphoned five gallons of petrol from one of their cars. He then broke into thei New Zealand Railway Road Services goods shed and 'stole foodstuffs worth $2000., I All of this was recovered, ex-1 cept for a $9.20 pot of honey! which fell off the back of the truck. Sergeant Dobbs said Fox| also damaged a petrol pump! padlock at Omakau on July' 10 in another attempt to steal' petrol. When interviewed by! the police. Sergeant Dobbs said, the defendant frankly! admitted the offences. He said Fox told police he: stole the truck “to do burglaries.”