Magistrate's Court $15,313 caravan thefts by defendant alleged

Press, 16 May 1979, Page 7

Magistrate's Court $15,313 caravan thefts by defendant alleged

After an all-day hearing in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday a man, aged 38, facing 11 charges, including the theft of three caravans worth $15,313, was remanded on bail to June 6 for the hearing of further charges. Messrs W. J. Hollobon and R. C. Holland, Justices of the Peace, were on the Bench. They continued the interim suppression of the defendant’s name. The defendant pleaded not guilty to all charges. They comprised five charges of theft, one of false pretence and three alternative charges of receiving stolen property, and two of breaking and entering caravans. Three of the theft charges involved caravans valued at $6913, $5250, and $3150. The other two related to a portable lavatory worth $350, ! and a caravan awning val'ued at $450. i The alleged false pretence was in representing to I Cooper Henderson Motors, (Ltd, that the $6913 caravan was his own (unencumbered) ■ property, thus obtaining ($6OOO for it. Sergeant A. M. Andrews prosecuted and Mr M. J. (Glue represented the defendant. I Sergeant Andrews said the (charges related to the I defendant’s allegedly pur-

chasing a caravan under the name of John Howard, in Nelson in January, and using another as a trade-in. He signed a hire-purchase agreement for the amount outstanding with the principal repayable over four years. On February 9, the defendant sold the caravan to Cooper Henderson Caravans, Ltd, and was paid $6OOO for it He then purchased an Anglo Venturer caravan from this firm, paying $2750 as a deposit and entering a hire-purchase agreement for the remainder, repayable over four years.

On March 17 the defendant advertised for sale in “The Press” an Anglo Venturer caravan w-hich Mr Graham Williams, manager of Cooper Henderson Caravans, noticed as fitting the description of one handled by his company. Detective Constable M. W. Manson said that after an approach from the manager of Cooper Henderson Caravans, Ltd, (Mr G. Williams), he went to an address. At the rear was an Anglo Stag camper caravan which was identified by Mr Williams as belonging to the company. It had been stolen from the company’s yards in Blenheim Road, between February 28 and March 1. lan Robertson Herron, branch manager of General Finance Acceptance, Ltd,.

Nelson, said his company entered into a hire-purchase agreement with Nelson Caravan Court and J. Howard, the purchaser, on January 30. It related to a new Zephyr Executive caravan. The cash price was $6913 and Mr Howard traded in a 1977 Millard caravan for which he received $4150. The difference of $2763, and finance charges of $1525, were to be repaid over four years. His company’s records showed that no repayments had been made. Herbert Alexander Mackrell, managing director of Nelson Caravan Court, gave evidence of the defendant, giving the name J. M. Howard, purchasing the caravan on January 30. He said the serial number of the chassis differed from that shown in police photographs. Evidence was also given relating to a hire-purchase agreement with the Australian Guarantee Corporation for the $5250 caravan purchased from Cooper Henderson Motors.

Graham Albert Williams, manager of Cooper Henderson Caravans, Ltd, said the defendant called on February 8, seeking a cheaper caravan and a cash difference for the Zephyr Executive caravan he used to trade in. The defendant said he would accept $6OOO, and was shown an Anglo Venturer caravan.

He was requested about' a month later to check the deal with the defendant. The Anglo Venturer caravan was subsequently repossessed and as a result the police were notified. An Anglo camper caravan which had been stolen from his firm’s yard two weeks before was recovered. The defendant was told the caravan had been repossessed because it had been learnt that $3OOO was still owing on the Zephyr caravan, that it had been registered in the name of John Howard, and that the serial number was wrong.

At the time of the caravan transaction, the witness said, he misplaced his master keys. He asked the defendant if he had seen them. He said he had not. Mr Williams said a detective called at the caravan yard on March 23 and produced the caravan toilet and awning. These items were found to be missing from two caravans in the firm’s yard. Detective D. B. Clearwater said he recovered the awning and caravan toilet from an address at which he also found documents with the defendant’s name. He questioned the defendant about the caravan deals and the defendant said he did not know the Zephyr caravan he sold to Cooper Henderson’s was under hire purchase.