TELLERS ROBBED

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 40, 17 February 1933, Page 9

TELLERS ROBBED

DUPED BY GYPSY

AN ASTONISHING STORY

There wero remarkable revelations by tho police when Stephen Sterio, the 25-year-old Australian gipsy of Greek descent, appeared in the Magistrate's Court at Auckland yesterday, on four counts of duping bank tellers and stealing sums totalling £67 7s 6d. As was reported yesterday, he was sentenced to six months' hard labour. "While in the dock Sterio hung his head, buried his face in his cap, and whimpered all the time,- says the Auckland "Star." On several occasions the Court orderly spoke to him and advised him to stand up straight. , Mr. B. A. Singer, who appeared- for the accused, said Sterio had been order-ed'to-be deported early last week when he- first-appeared, but as the present charges were discovered' after he appeared in Court, he was not deported. "The Marania leaves for Sydney-tomor-row, and he is quite agreeable to an' order for deportation so that he can sail.by that boat,", added counsel. ' Mr. 1\ X.Hunt, S.M-.r Let's hear something about him. Detective-Sergeant 0 'Sullivan then read tho statements given to Detective Hamilton, who originally arrested the accused and interviewed the four tellers. , V ','',■ ';■ ■} - ' ; Bertram Alfred Watts, a teller em: ployed at the-National Bank of New Zealand, said: "Shortly' after 1 p.m. on February 8 a dark-skinned man called at the bank and asked for 5s worth of sixpenny pieces. He handed me two half-crowns and I gavo. him the value in sixpences. His next- request was that I should allow him to tell my fortune- ;He took hold; of my left hand, and told me a lot of things concerning my private life. He next asked to se6 my handkerchief and crossed my hand with silver. I then gave him .sixpeneo, and he tied ■it in. the of my handkerchief and told me to keep It thero for a number ( of days. He then asked me to produce some, paper; money, and, after some hesitation, I brought some loose-fives? and .'tens' from the dra.wcr. and. held" them. in front'of me. I did not ailow the" mail to handle -the notes. ■-After ho.-had conferred some blessing on me; and at the same-time, pushing- my hands as; I. held the notes against, my chest, Tie. held his two' hands" on my hand;" whieh-held thV'h6te's,:"abb*ut £100: worth, :H& told me t0,.100k at him;and.repeat .certain words, such as, 'Bless- me, brother.' ..He told. mo, to* keep looking at Win." He then let!.g<£ my hand' and told me to' bring the ■ notes down; and; blow .on theiny - and- that' I wbxjia'haye,or'..win,; ©900 "next-month. He aski3'd/,.me. for a-Bhiliing. for telling my fortune,- which 1 gave: hinvr I cannot say for sure:if ihe. had liis-hands on the note?."-T'felt a: funny'sort of: feetiiig, which,l "cannot describe, -and cannot properly - recollect; while ; 'this man was; telling my fortune. 'Oh ■cheeking up my cash in' the evening I found that I was; &15 short. «He was tho only irian who had an opportunity bf'taking it:?: 1;-■;■,..:.;:,'":• .;■■-'. ■.■.i":-'.';^t-: r ;"':.--.- r -.' M:J- ":•*■ vsTAipNG- at-'me.»'^;::.;, ■ '.- ; ■Glaude.Niehbi'Tu'cker.ia teller in the Bank of Neiy: Zealand* said that;:on ■February 8 a- man entered the bank 'and-said,^"! will read your fortune." •■'■' I asked him. what the cost -would bo, and he -replied;i<Anything! you like.' He "then asked me to- let _him' see my hand and to cross itwithi'silver.. I did so with a shilling. He then wrapped the coin in the corner of my handkerchief and told me to keep.it like that for nine days,~when4it would bring megood; luck". Af terlthat: he asked me for some notes, whieh-I. produced'from niy' drawer. We each held a portion of the notes. He then, said '- some magical phrase,; including 'Bless you, brother^' at the same time saying that the notes would increase tenfold. "He then: returned the notes to me, saying he Tvould keep the silver coin for payment.. He then left the bank. At the end of the: day I was £35 short in- my cash. I attribute-, the loss to-the deal-; ings -with -this individual. While he.' was; conversing with me he" was staring -athte "very hard; and I ■ consider that this: jj^an stole -£.35 by means of a con" jiijirig- trick.'.'. ~.' .', ; .:,';■"/'..;',;-. :■-•;;: -"AS IF tN A. TKANCE.'V-;/:- '[ ::The- third-teller employee. ..at : the ;Auckland Savings Bank^.^alter Brack lieylarid, said- that ''a- dark-skinned• irian •called on February 8. ' '!■ told. hjm where.the: Commercial Bank was,'''said Eeyland,"in:.his;state'me'nt; to' thopblieew ''Hes'aid-hehad oiily; ari:ivedvin: the; country, ahd'ithat'as -I had; done-hint & good-tiirn ho would •• read ymy -Sortiine: •He asked'me tp^palm-a silver .cdiny.and he crossed my hand with it. I gavehim the; coin,- which was 2s '6d.: -He asked me if I, had anyjbig money, and I held about four £5 iotesin my'hand.- .Ha held-them.: at -the;-same. time. .-'He commenced speaking in a low voice,' and looking all ;tfie; time into my. eyes, sort ■of -'hypnotising inc. ■ v He• then let go the Quotes and', told me; to' hold::" a."Tiuneh ■ rof ~£ 1 "notes, v" He held them went through the sarnie performance. .He then let-go the notes, ana; ;-■!■ ■ -put; them back - - in: the •■ till.' Before': leaving, I 'gave him'2svfori'some consideration for telling my fortune,. On cheeking: my nipn'ey:il'aiseoyeredthat I was £7. 2s 6d shofti . . He kept looking into'my eyes all the time, and I had a funny sort' of feeling, as if in a,trance."- .; . ;.■.■■-. :- . '■.■•.; ''A STEADY STAKE." j Maurice Edward-Alexander, teller, employed in the Bank of :j New Zealand,' said: "I was approached on February 8 by a dark-skinned man who asked me to.change a £5. Bank of New South' Wales note. I declined, as it was not one of our.notes'. He thanked me and then offered to tell my fortune. At the same-time he took hold of my left hand and told me different things he alleged had . occurred during my life.: At his request I-gave him my handkerchief and a sixpenny piece.' Ha tied the coin in the/handkerchief. and told me to keep it there fpr nine days. He: then asked me for a handful'of coins.' , I gave him. a number of florins, which ho toldime to-hold, and I closed hands.: He held them in his hand and returned them to me. He then asked me f or' some. 10s notes, and he went through the same process as he did with the florins., He then .asked for notes of higher value.. . I gave him jn turn singles, fives, and tens. He continued the same process. I am' satisfied that he returned all the notes .with the exception of two £10 notes. His next request was for notes of a higher denomination, which I refused. I gave him 6d for reading my fortune. During the whole of the time that he was handling the notes and pretending to read my fortune he kept a steady stare in my eyes and requested me tp do the same. I kept on looking down at the notes,' and each time I did so he told me to look into his eyes, as ho did hot want my money and that'it was quite safe with him. Alse, as he handled each denomination he said: 'Bless you^ brother. These notes will increase ten-, fold.' When I cashed ■up there was £19 short. I cannot say whether ;I was under the power of this man.or not." ■' -.'.." : INTERNATIONAIi EECOED. "What's known abbut him?" asked the Magistrate. '■' Detective-Sergeant O'Sullivan, producing Sterip's list of previous convictions, said that the accused in October, 1925, was fined £5, or one month, for stealing at Penrith, New South Wales. In April, 1926, at Lithgow, N.S.W., for stealing, he failed to appear,'and his recognisance of £30 deposited was forfeited. At Mudgee, N.S.W., Sterio was

charged with stealing in April, 1927, but abseprided from bail, which was forfeited. ; -At' Parramatta in February, 1939, rhis recognisance: of £30 was forfeited ph a. charge of. fortune-telling because he did not appear. In March of 1930,' at Liverpool, England, Sterio was fined £5,' or one month, for stealing 4s, In June of that year he was bound over at West Sussex for stealing £77 10s at a bank. He had already been fined £5 in Auckland for theft. Detective-Sergeant O'Sullivan added that in each case the bank tellers werfe under Sterio's influence. Mr. Singer (strolling towards Sterio, who was weeping): I don't know whether my client's ululating appeal will havo a greater effect upon your Worship than mine. As your Worship knows, it ;.will "be necessary for him to go but of this country as soon as possible. "WON'T CATCH THE STEAMER.V ' Mr. Hunt: When does the Marama go? ■ Mr. Singer: Tomorrow. ' Mr. Hunt: Well, he won't catch that steamer. Each time he comes before the Court'-. he seems to persuade the Court to bind him over, or else he absconds from bail. , Now we have got him here. He will be sentenced to six months'; imprisonment, and at the end of that time will be deported. He need not thjnk he can. come here and rob people and then leave by the next boat. Mr. Singer: I think he should be deported as soon ■ as possible. 'How much moneyhashe got in the bank?? 3 aaked'the Magistrate. "Over £200 in his possession," said Detective-Sergeant O 'Sullivan. Mr. Hunt; I will make an order for restitution, of, the £67 he obtained from the tellers. ..-,-.-,.,-