August 12, 2011

Security guard admits earthquake looting

By David Clarkson at Nga Hau e Wha marae

A teenage security guard protecting the earthquake-damaged Harvey Norman store in Moorhouse Avenue has admitted stealing cellphones and a digital camera from the closed shop.

Eighteen-year-old Tyler Patrick Sloan pleaded guilty to a theft charge at a sitting of the Christchurch District Court at the Nga Hau e Wha marae today.

Judge Colin Doherty ordered him to do 60 hours of community work and repay $2237 to the shop for the six items he stole.

Police say none of the gear was recovered, but Sloan?s defence counsel Michael Knowles said he believed some had been found and returned to the store.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Brendon Streiker said the large store had been closed since the February 22 earthquake because the building was unsafe.

On April 11, Sloan was working at the site as a security guard for Armourguard. He had the job of recording the names of trades people entering and leaving the store to ensure none of the stock was stolen.

Streiker detailed how Sloan had gone into the store twice and took four cellphones and chargers out of their boxes and put them into his jacket and backpack.

He told police he took the phones to sell and make some money.

Knowles said Sloan had been offered the job as full-time employment by Armourguard and had gone off his benefit to take the work.

He had taken the goods to sell because he had been given only two days work in two weeks and was in difficulty with no money coming in.

Judge Doherty told Sloan: ?You have recognised with your guilty plea that two wrongs don?t make a right. You might have thought you had been hard done by and had a right to do what you did, but you didn?t have that right.?

Sloan is now back on a benefit. The judge ordered him to pay the store back at $20 a week.