Theft of $400 admitted

Press, 31 July 1986, Page 17

Theft of $400 admitted

A man who stole $4OO in cash from his employer later complained to the police that he had been robbed by two men in the underground toilets in Cathedral Square, said Sergeant T. Smith in the District Court yesterday. The defendant, who was granted interim suppression of his name, admitted stealing the cash from his employer, an insurance company, and making a false statement to the police alleging that an aggravated robbery had been committed. He was convicted by Judge Anderson and remanded on bail to August 13 for a probation report and sentence.

Sergeant Smith said that on the morning of July 24 the defendant was given $4OO which was to be returned to a client of the firm. The defendant went to a car-park, took $lO from this amount and hid the rest in his vehicle. He then went into the men’s underground toilet in Cathedral Square where he faked injuries before reporting to the police that he had been

robbed of $4OO by two persons, said Sergeant Smith. The defendant was then driven round the inner city by the C. 1.8., looking for the alleged offenders. At the Central Police Station the defendant made a written statement about the alleged robbery. After inquiries by the police, the defendant later admitted the complaint was false and that the money was hidden in his car. The defendant, a married man, represented by Mr D. C. Fitzgibbon, told the police that he needed money to pay bills, and that he had intended to repay the money to his employer. Sergeant Smith said considerable time was wasted by police investigating into the false complaint at a time when they were inquiring into two murders and other serious matters. KNIFE OFFENCES When the police searched a man behaving in a threatening manner in the Christchurch Transport Board’s kiosk they

found two knives in his clothing, and a knife in each of his boots, said Sergeant Smith.

When asked about his possession of these weapons, David Moka, aged 44, unemployed (Mr J. S. Halls), told the police that it was up to them to find out.

Moka admitted charges of unlawfully possessing four knives, using obscene language, and behaving in a threatening manner in circumstances likely to cause violence against persons to start.

He was convicted and remanded in custody until today. The Judge asked that medical reports be obtained with a view to his committal to a mental hospital. INDECENCY CHARGE Bail was not opposed by the police for a man, aged 56, charged with indecently assaulting a girl, aged 12. Sony Tauria Rewi, unemployed, was remanded on bail of $l5OO to August 6. He is charged with committing the offence between October 25 and November 30, last year.