Letterbox raider pocketed cheques

A woman has admitted fraudulently depositing cheques.

A Napier mother has admitted stealing cheques from letterboxes and using them to deposit more than $1500.

Ataneta Eva Puna, 25, appeared in Napier District Court yesterday, facing nine charges of dishonestly using a document, all relating to cheques she took from letterboxes and banked last year, which had a combined value of $1530.

The cheques had been distributed to consumers from Hawke's Bay Power Consumers' Trust.

Puna pleaded guilty to all charges and Judge Bridget Mackintosh ordered her to complete 200 hours' community work and pay full reparation.

In August last year, Puna deposited nine cheques at Westpac bank branches in Hastings and Napier, after taking them from several letterboxes.

She used ATMs to deposit the money into her mother's and niece's bank accounts. The accounts were terminated when Westpac became aware of the fraudulent activity.

Puna said she took the cheques from letterboxes and banked them because she needed the money.

Westpac had refunded the money withdrawn by Puna to Hawke's Bay Power Consumers' Trust and is to receive the reparation from her.

The trust's secretary, Stephen Dine, said it was likely she had banked the cheques using express deposit, which was possible via an ATM.

It would not have been possible for her to deposit the cheques over the counter in a bank.

Mr Dine said it was the first time the distribution cheques had been stolen that the trust was aware of.

"We're hoping it was a one-off and that this will deter anybody from doing it again."

The trust was investigating other methods of distributing the cheques "but that's a long way off yet".