NZ Couriers employee caught stealing $22,000 worth of parcels

Bonnie Price, 28, pleaded guilty in the Hastings District Court yesterday to 22 theft charges relating to NZ Couriers parcels. Photo / File

A New Zealand Couriers employee working out of the company's Napier branch has admitted stealing more than $22,000 worth of parcels containing computer products.

Hastings woman Bonnie Price, 28, appeared in the Hastings District Court yesterday and pleaded guilty to 22 theft charges: eight for theft under $500, six between $500 and $1000 and eight for theft over $1000.

Price was employed by New Zealand Couriers last May and stole more than $22,000 worth of goods destined for retail stores between last December and January this year.

She worked night shift at the Napier branch, which deals with more than 9000 items of mail a day, some for delivery to retail outlets.

The summary of facts said Price would note who the items were for and who the sender was, leading her to suspect which packages contained computer products.

She would place the packages off to the side, conceal them with clothing and when her shift was finished pick up her clothing with the items inside and take them to her vehicle.

On her way home she would stop on the side of the road to remove the packaging and discover what the items were, before discarding most of the packaging, including packaging slips, on the roadside.

She stole $22,058.09 worth of laptops, tablets and hard drives that were destined for retail outlets.

She would sell or pawn the items to local second-hand dealers, online in garage sales, Trade Me and to associates or members of the public.

Police, with New Zealand Couriers and companies Synnex and Ceva Logistics found several items in new or used conditions at the defendant's home and homes of family members, as well as second-hand dealers and a Trade Me purchaser.

Priceadmitted stealing some of the items and claimed she needed to buy drugs for her partner.

She was remanded on bail to next appear on April 26 for sentencing in the Hastings District Court.

Price no longer works for New Zealand Couriers, a spokesperson at their Napier branch confirmed.