GIPSY THIEF ESCAPES

Taranaki Daily News, 16 August 1933, Page 9

GIPSY THIEF ESCAPES

SYDNEY DETECTIVES ELUDED ROWED FROM LINER NEAR WHARF. BOYS TELL OF JUMP INTO WATER. DEPORTEE FROM NEW ZEALAND. By Telegraph—Press Association. Sydney, August 15. Stephen Sterio, an Australian gipsy, who was deported from New Zealand, arrived at Sydney yesterday, but detectives were unable to locate him aboard the Mararna when the vessel berthed. His luggage remained. Passengers declared that the man beckoned to three boys in a rowing boat near the wharf. The boys drew alongside the Mararna and the man slid down a rope and escaped. Later the boys who rowed Sterio ashore told the police that the man jumped from the stern of the vessel into the water and started to flounder about. He could not swim and the boys helped him aboard the dinghy and rowed him to the wharf, where- the man removed his suit, disclosing old dungarees, a coat and cap underneath.

MESMERISED BANK TELLERS.

REMARKABLE AUCKLAND THEFTS.

Stephen Sterio, a 25-year-old Australian Gipsy of Greek descent, was the subject of remarkable revelations by the police he was charged in the Auckland Police Court on February 16 on four counts of mesmerising bank tellers and stealing sums totalling £67 7s. 6d. He was sentenced to six months’ hard labour. Sterio was charged with stealing on February 8 £35 the property of C. M. Tucker, £lO from M. E. Alexander, £7 2s. 6d. from W. B. Leyland and £l5 from B. A. Watts. He pleaded guilty to all the charges.

Detective-Sergeant O’Sullivan read statements given to Detective Hamilton, who arrested Sterio arid interviewed the four tellers.

Bertram Alfred Watts, teller employed 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 ss. worth of sixpenny pieces. He handed me two half-crowns and I gave 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 see my handkerchief, and crossed my hand with silver. I then gave him sixpence and he tied it in the corner of my handkerchief and told me to keep it there 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 drawer and held them in front of me.

IMPERFECT RECOLLECTION.

“I did not allow the man to handle the notes. After he had conferred some blessing on me, at the same time pushing my hands as I held the notes against my chest, he held his two hands on my hand which held the notes—about £lOO worth. He told me to look at him and repeat certain words, such as ‘Bless me, brother.’ He told me to keep 100-king at him. He then let go of my hand and told me to bring the notes down and blow on them, and that I would , have a win of £9OO next month. He asked me for a shilling for telling my fortune,, which I gave him. “I cannot say for sure if he had his hands on the notes. I felt a funny sort of feeling which I cannot describe, and I cannot properly recollect what happened. when this man was telling my fortune. On checking my cash in the evening I found that I -was £l5 short. He was the only man who had-the opportunity of taking it.” Three other tellers described similar experiences the same day. The police produced Sterio’s record, showing that he had been convicted of theft in New South Wales and England. The detective said that in each case the bank tellers were under Sterio’s influence. . < • ...

Sterio was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment, and then he was to be deported. The police said he had over £2OO, and the magistrate ordered restitution to the tellers.