Officer stole Army property

Press, 29 June 1988, Page 24

Officer stole Army property

PA Wellington An Army officer who stole more than $13,000 worth of goods from Army supplies used them to outfit his home and his tribe’s pa, the District Court at Wellington was told yesterday.

Turoa Leonard Rex Robinson, aged 49, retired, of Rahotu, pleaded guilty to five charges of theft as a servant.

The police said that Robinson was in charge of

Army works and development in the Wellington region before his retirement.

Between July, 1986, and July, 1987, he stole three batches of goods ordered for Army use, including building materials and ranch-slider doors.

He used these to improve the house he was living in. During the same period, Robinson also arranged for the delivery to his tribe’s pa of $2OOO worth

of kitchen fittings from a demolished Army building. A quantity of carpet was also taken from Army stores by Robinson, said the police. The goods totalled $13,711 in value. Judge McKerr sen-

tenced Robinson to six months periodic detention on each charge, to be served concurrently. Robinson was also ordered to repay the Army $11,296 in three months, for stolen property which had not been recovered.