Man stole car from friend

Press, 16 February 1978, Page 4

Man stole car from friend

Nelson reporter A young man has told the Magistrate’s court at Nelson that, upset because a friend was not putting in as much time and money into preparing a rally car as he was, he stole his friend’s car, altered it, and re-registered it as his own rebuilt vehicle. Kevin John Barton, aged 21, an auto electrician (Mr H. W. Riddoch) admitted to Mr K. H. J. Headifen, S.M., that he had stolen a Ford Escort, valued at $3OOO, from William Daniel Harrison on January 11. He was remanded to February 28 f or a report and sentence. Sergeant D. Allen said that, on January 11 the complainant’s car had been stolen. Later, the complainant and defendant had gone to the Nelson Police Station, where the defendant had denied stealing his friend’s car. He had said he had bought the car as an insurance write-off from a person he did not know, and had rebuilt it.

Later, however, he had admitted to the police that

he had stolen the vehicle, said Sergeant Allen. He had said he had made a number of alterations to it, including the replacement of the 1100 c.c. engine with a 1600 c.c. unit. He had sold the 1100 c.c. engine to a friend for $3OO. He had also repainted the vehicle and reregistered it with new number plates as a rebuilt car.

The defendant and complainant had been a i lly team, and during the previous season, regardless of sponsorship, the defendant had found himself spending more time and money in the preparation of the machine than his friend, said Sergeant Allen. He had been hurt by this, and this had been why he had taken the complainant’s Escort, as he had wanted to do it up for normal road use.

The complainant had since gone overseas, and the defendant had authorised the complainant to take possession of the vehicle, with both the 1100 c.c. and 1600 c.c. motors, wheels, and other parts that the defendant had purchased, he said.