‘Peer-group pressure led to gold theft’

Press, 8 March 1988, Page 37

‘Peer-group pressure led to gold theft’

PA Auckland A Takapuna man was pressured by his workmates to help steal gold from his employer, Gcjldcorp Italia, defence counsel told the District Court at Otahuhu. ' Philip Mark Curtis, aged 21, unemployed, \Vas fined $2OO and: ordered to repay $4OO ’ he ijad received for 1 the gold when he appeared befpre Judge Lawson. Defence counsel, Mr

Ross France, said Curtis was unhappy about the theft but had been under pressure to help. An associate of Curtis had already been sentenced to four months periodic detention for his part. Mr France said Curtis had suffered for his mistake by spending three months out of work. His new job as a labourer was less skilled and had less favourable prospects than the one he had forfeited

with Goldcorp Italia, Mr France said. Earlier, the Court heard that Curtis and an associate had taken 250 grams of gold and topped the bars with lesser metals as they worked in the company’s casting room. The theft was discovered when the bar cracked from the silver content, as it was being rolled out into gold wire. Curtis was convicted of' theft as a servant last December.