Woman stole while posing as hostess

Press, 10 January 1984, Page 16

Woman stole while posing as hostess

PA Auckland An Auckland District Court judge on Friday described as devious a woman who posed as an American air hostess and stole cash and personal belongings from shopkeepers. Caroline Fuatavai, aged 19, an unemployed clerk, of Grey Lynn, was sentenced by Judge Deobhakta to nine months periodic detention for the thefts, which involved cash and property valued at more than $BOO.

Fuatavai had pleaded guilty to 11 charges of theft of cash, wallets, purses, and personal belongings, and to one count that, with intent to defraud, she obtained $l5O by falsely representing that she was an employee of Continental Airlines. The court had heard that during a six-week period

Fuatavai went into a number of shops in Auckland and South Auckland, posing as an American air hostess or as a tourist. She would gain access to the counter area by asking to use the telephone or toilet and would steal property, it was said.

On one occasion Fuatavai made herself known to a woman at the Farmers Trading Company building in central Auckland. She went back to the woman’s home and, pretending to be an air hostess, offered to get the woman a reduced fare on a flight to Hawaii.

Fuatavai went with the woman to her bank where she withdrew $l5O and gave it to her.

The Judge said he did not believe a word of Fuatavai’s explanation.