October 09, 2012

Teen admits mail theft and frauds

By Anne Clarkson

Charges of fraud and opening mail not addressed to him were admitted by a 17-year-old Islington man who appeared at a Christchurch District Court session at Nga Hau e Wha marae today.

Brendon Karl Dean Harris admitted stealing mail and then accessing two of his victim?s bank accounts so that they had telephone banking added to them. He then transferred money into the accounts of his friend and his friend?s mother, and it was withdrawn.

A further charge was laid after Harris took a cheque for $4850 for a curtain company, left by his victim for the rural post operator in Selwyn District to uplift.

Next day Harris? associate rang the victim and said he was from the curtain company and they needed to cancel the cheque and pay the money directly into an account. The money was transferred into his account and withdrawn.

Harris pleaded guilty to three charges of obtaining by deception, and one charge of unlawfully opening a postal article.

The total amount of the frauds was $48,850, but defence counsel Craig Fletcher said Harris would not be able to pay that amount. Harris told police he only made $5200 out of the frauds.

Judge Brooke?Gibson remanded Harris on bail to January 14 for sentencing.

Three other youths and a woman charged with related offences are being dealt with separately by the courts.