Deceased’s cheques used in crime spree

Press, 22 June 1989, Page 34

Deceased’s cheques used in crime spree

PA Wellington A youth stole his friend’s dead grandmother’s chequebook and driver’s licence and used them during a crime spree, the District court at Lower Hutt, was told on Tuesday. Ivan Lammas, aged 18, appeared for sentence on charges of theft (four), false pretences, unlawfully taking vehicles (three), credit by fraud (two), burglary, attempting to obtain credit by fraud, unlawful possession of a firearm, pretending to be a policeman and escaping from lawful cus-

tody. Judge Robertson sentenced Lammas to a total of eight months jail. The theft of the dead woman’s possessions was “particularly miserable,” he said. The offences occurred between May 1 and May 23. The Court was told Lammas used the chequebook and licence to buy a crash helmet on May 12 at Feilding, then converted a motor-cycle at Palmerston North. He unlawfully took a motor-vehicle in Hamilton on May 16 and later took another vehicle.

He broke into a house near Eketahuna and removed a .22 rifle and 20 rounds of ammunition. The Judge said this was sinister. The accused had booked into a motel there and told the management he was a policeman. The rifle and an air rifle were in the vehicle the accused had taken. Lammas had appeared in Court on May 25 and had been remanded in custody. He bolted as he was being led away and was apprehended by a constable after a brief chase on foot.