TELLER'S THEFTS

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 14, 12 October 1926, Page 14

TELLER'S THEFTS

£660 STOLEN'.IN ELEVEN ’ . MONTHS. Dominion Special. Dunedin, October 11. William Alfred Sandman a teller in the Bank of Australasia, a married man, 30 years of age, was charged in the Magistrate’s Court with the theft of £660 from tlie bank. Mr. Hanlon appeared for accused, who pleaded guilty. O. K. Tennent, sub-inspector of the bank, detailed his investigations into a reported shortage in accused’s cash. The system used to conceal the thefts was the suppression of credits. On the day when the manager verified the cash the sum accounted for in this way was £615. The alteration of two cheques made up a further £l5. Thomas Sneddon, a detective, said he interviewed accused, and got .a voluntary statement from him, m which accused admitted the thefts. He said he was married, with two children. He entered the employ of the Bank of Australasia in 1911, and during the past twelve months had been in Dunedin. In November, 1925, he was in debt to the extent ,of £6O. owing to sickness in his family. His creditors pressed him to pay. Between November 8, 1925, and October 6 he had taken £660 from the bank. Most of the money was spent in gambling and in connection with horse racing. Accused was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. He was admitted to bail .in his own recognisance of £2OO, and two sureties of £2OO.