$30,000 burglary claim

Press, 24 June 1981, Page 4

$30,000 burglary claim

A man who, police alleged in the District Court yesterday, burgled the Canterbury Savings Bank in New Brighton Mall. in March and removed a. safe containing $23,000 in cash and $7OOO in cheques, has been committed for, trial. The defendant, Andrew James Beedies, aged 19, a labourer, pleaded not guilty and elected trial by jury on the charge of breaking and entering the savings bank on or about March 8.

After depositions or statements of evidence of six prosecution witnesses had been given, Messrs C. A. Pilgrim and V. C. Empson, Justices of the Peace, held there was a sufficient case to commit the defendant for trial.

He was remanded on bail to July 10, pending trial -in the District Court. Mr M.‘ J. Glue, who appeared for the defendant, reserved his defence.

Sergeant J. E. Dwyer prosecuted. Prosecution evidence was given of the ■ savings bank being burgled and the safe

removed. Footprints were found on ,a counter above where the safe had been installed. The defendant, when interviewed by Detective’ D. J. Chatwin, at first denied but then admitted involvement in the burglary. The detective said the defendant admitted he was “in on it” and helped lever the safe from the Boor but said he got no money from the job.

He said there were three involved in moving the safe "at first.” It was loaded into a vehicle and taken to Aranui.

The defendant declined to name others involved.

(Before Judge Fogarty) COMMUNITY WORK

A woman, aged 43, who admitted fraudulently obtaining $5832 in benefits from the Department of Social Welfare while in employment, was ordered to carry out 160 hours of community service when she appeared for sentence.

. The woman, who was granted final suppression of her name, had earlier admitted four breaches of the Social Security Act by wil-

fully misleading officers about being successively employed at four different jobs while in receipt of a domestic purposes benefit. In addition to community service the Judge ordered the woman to pay compensation in full and he put her on probation for 18 months. He fold the woman, who was represented by Mr K. J. Searle, that although the amount to be repaid to the department was large “you must not let .it get you down.”

“I do not want you selling any more assets. You will have to pay the sum off in small instalments,” he said. The Judge said he accepted that the defendant had received no personal benefit from her offending and that as a caring mother she had spent money on her family. Mr Searle said the offending arose after the defendant found it difficult to manage after her marriage broke up. He said the matter had hung over his client's head for 10 months. She was extremely re- , morseful and was willing to ' pay compensation in full,_