THEFT OF £20l

Hokitika Guardian, 25 July 1933, Page 2

THEFT OF £2ol

BANK CLERK ADMITS OFFENCE.

WIFE JOINTLY CHARGED. AUCKLAND,, July 24. A former hank clerk, Jack Eric Robinson, aged 22, and his wile, Kathleen Marjorie Robinson, aged 21, were today jointly charged with forging three letters. The wife was l'urther charged with aiding and abetting her husband, who was a servant of the Auckland Savings Bank, jn attempting to steal £l2B/13/-, belonging to the bank. The husband was further charged with stealing £2Ol, and that, being a servant, lie attempted to steal £728/13/-. He pleaded guilty to the theft of £2Ol, and wa s committed for sentence.

Accuseds were arrested recently at Gisborne.

The manager of a suburban branch of the bank said that Robinson had access to all the records and specimen signatures. On June 28, 1932, a man presented a withdrawal slip for £2Ol from the account of a depositor, named Alexander. Last April if was discovered that Alexander had not authorised the drawing of the money, and that the passbook presented by the man was one obtained from stock and written up so as to appear that it was a new book issued to Alexander.

When questioned, accused denied all knowledge of the theft, and repeated his denial when arrested on July 8, but ten days later at the police court, he said he would be pleading guilty to the charge concerning the theft of £2Ol,

Both were charged with the forgery of a letter addressed to the manager of the Bank of New Zealand, Symonds Street; also one addressed to the manager of the Dominion Road branch of the Auckland Savings Bank; and a third purporting to he signed by an elderly widow. Evidence was then given as previously telegraphed. Detective Sergeant Doyle gave particulars of an interview he had with the accused at Gisborne, Robinson saying that he knew of flic theft from Alexander’s account, and that lie was a party to the offence. , ■

Robinson was interviewed further about letters purporting to come from fin elderly woman with an account at the Dominion ' Road hank, witness continued. Robinson said that he had used influence on his wife, who was single at the time, to get her to write the letters, saying: “I used ox--treme persuasion to make her do it, as a primary move in placing the money in the. account under my controt”

Robinson, in a statement read by Mr Doyle: “I could immediately see, by the action of the teller and the staff of the Bank of New Zealand, that the plan had miscarried. Witness added that the female accused, when interviewed about the account in the name of an elderly woman, said: “I opened the account, and I. will tell the truth about it, for 1 do not want Robbie to get into trouble,” She stated that she took no part in ohtnining the £2Ol 10s from Alexander's account Mrs Robinson further staled that she was married on November 25. continued witness. When the. account was opened, the two accused were contemplating marriage. “We were without money,” Mrs Robinson said. “My husband and T decided that, if we succeeded in getting this money we would got married and use it to get a home. T suggested leaving New Zealand when we got, the money.”

Both of the accused pleaded guilty They were committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. Robinson was refused bail. The female accused was allowed bail in £SO.