Stolen stamp collection still missing

Press, 23 April 1980, Page 4

Stolen stamp collection still missing

A stamp collection valued at $9600, taken in a burglary of a flat in England Street last August, had still not been recovered, said Sergeant J. Chadderton in the District Court yesterday. A prison inmate, Keremihana Hirani George, aged 25 (Mr R. J. McMurtrie), pleaded guilty before Judge McAloon to charges of breaking and entering the flat on August 15, and breaking and entering an adjoining flat on August 8. He was convicted of both burglaries and remanded in custody to April 30 for sentence.

Sergeant Chadderton said the defendant had sold some of the items taken in the burglaries to a plain clothes constable who worked in

Christchurch from last May to this month to obtain evidence against persons, involved in criminal activities. Property valued at $l2OO, which included a colour television set, stereo, radio, and money, was taken from one flat, burgled on August 8. ' The defendant and a co-of-fender sold the property to : the plain clothes constable immediately after the bur- 1 glary for $2BO. When questioned by the i police the defendant said he took some of the gear out of : the flat but received no 1

money for it. His co-offen-der was paid for it all. From the other flat property worth $ll,lBB was taken, Sergeant Chadderton said. This comprised a postage stamp collection valued at $9600, which had not been recovered, a colour television ' set, a rifle, a stereo, and a slide projector. On the evening of this burglary the defendant sold the television set and stereo to the constable for $3OO. The slide projector and rifle were later recovered from the defendant’s home.