COOL THEFT OF £765

Evening Star, Issue 21570, 16 November 1933, Page 14

COOL THEFT OF £765

ADVENTURES IN AUSTRALIA AH ASTONISHING CASE [Pan XJ tfiTED Press Association.] AUCKLAND, November IG. Terence Moncriff Nixon (22) and Cyril Robert Hankins (25) were to-day committed for sentence on charges of stealing Government funds. Nixon admitted that while a clerk in the Labour Department he stole £79.5 on December 29 last, and Hankins admitted stealing £765. C. S. Munn, a clerk in the Labour Department, said that before lie went on Christmas leave Nixon suggested that he should leave two or three cheques signed in case anyone should come in wanting small payments. He left two cheques signed. Later he found that one had been cashed for £3O and the other for £765. In both cases the writing in the body of the cheque was Nixon’s. The butts showed that the £3O cheque was drawn for £3, and the £765 cheque for 4s 6d. The writing on the butts was also Nixon’s. Both names on the butts were fictitious. Nixon was receiving a salary of under £2 5s weekly. Detective Hamilton said he arrested both accused in Sydney on November 3 on warrants, and they were extradited. In a statement, Nixon said he put the £3O on a horse named Fisher at the Auckland trots. The horse lost He then drew the cheque for £765, and, with Hankins, cashed it at the bank, giving Hankins £SOO. With three minutes to spare, they caught the Monowai for Sydney, and went on to North Queensland in a car they bought for £4O. Subsequently Nixon bought a share in a tourist business for £SOO, paying £4OO in cash. The business was dissolved, Nixon getting back £IOO. They returned to Sydney, and were penniless, and had pawned their clothes when arrested. Nixon added_ that he was heavily involved in racing debts, and alleged that he was partly influenced by Hankins in stealing the money. Hankins, in evidence, said he had not met Nixon until' the day of the theft, and until then had no intention of going to Australia. He had nothing to do with the theft of the £3O.

The magistrate refused to allow bail