A man who stole $3800 from his employer told police he needed the money to pay for his father’s funeral when his father was still alive.
Mayzon Tangaroa Ngati Kaura (24), courier, of Bluff, yesterday appeared for sentence before Judge Catriona Doyle in the Invercargill District Court.
On a previous appearance he pleaded guilty to causing a loss of $3800 to Rakiura Shipping Ltd, three charges of theft amounting to $2470 and stealing a quad bike.
The offending happened between December 6, 2021 and February 11, 2022, when Ngati Kaura was employed as a yard manager at the shipping company.
The summary of facts says a customer arranged a shipping charter through the company to transport supplies to the Titi Islands for the muttonbird season.
Instead of supplying the customer with the business bank account, Ngati Kaura gave him his own to deposit the $3800.
"In explanation, he said that he had spent the money and needed it to help his family with his father’s funeral expenses, and to transport the body back to the North Island," the summary states.
"However, police are aware that his father is still alive."
The theft of the other money took place when Ngati Kaura was handed cash by customers.
He then pocketed it for himself on two occasions and supplied the payers with invoices.
The quad bike was supposed to be stored at Rakiura Shipping Ltd during the Christmas break.
Ngati Kaura sold the bike to an associate for $200 and told the bike owner it had been stolen.
However, the owner later spotted the associate driving it.
When the owner questioned the associate, he told him Ngati Kaura had sold it to him.
Judge Doyle said the Rakiura Shipping Ltd owners not only had to live with the financial loss, but also the unhappy customers as well as having to go through the prosecution process.
"You stole for no good reason."
She said the quad bike had been returned.
Ngati Kaura was sentenced to 250 hours’ community work and ordered to pay reparation of $6270.
