A Christchurch businessman has admitted "car-napping" two limited edition Holdens and demanding $17,000 to give them back to the owner.
Peter Richard Boyd, 54, described as a company director, pleaded guilty in the High Court at Christchurch today about six weeks before he was due to stand trial.
He admitted a charge that in April and May last year he threatened not to return the two cars to their owner unless he was paid the money, the Christchurch Court News website reported.
Boyd was among several people arrested in a police investigation called Operation HSV.
The cars taken in a burglary were a Holden Senator and a Holden Walkinshaw. The Senator was one of only 63 made with manual controls and there may be only three of the Walkinshaws in Christchurch. Their total value was $66,000.
Prosecutor Marcus Zintl said the crown position was that the court would need to consider imprisonment as a starting point when setting a penalty for Boyd.
But defence counsel Kerry Cook said 300 hours of community work had been imposed in a similar case.
No summary of facts was read in court today, but the case has already had a depositions hearing.
At that hearing, the owner told how he borrowed money and paid $17,000 in $100 bills to get back the two cars - after telling the police. He had offered a $5000 reward for the cars.
The owner said he was contacted by a friend who said someone was trying to contact him about the cars. He was put in touch with Boyd, who said he knew somebody had said something about the cars going missing and being stored in Papanui.
Boyd called again two weeks later and said a man had approached him in his shop and said he knew where the cars were but the $5000 rewards wasn't enough. "It was $17,000 ransom," the witness told the depositions hearing.
He eventually handed the money over to Boyd, who had to tape a paper bag in his shop window as a signal that he had the cash. The owner then got messages telling him where to pick up the cars in Sumner and Addington.
Justice Lester Chisholm remanded Boyd on bail for a probation report and sentence on February 5.
The February trial is still scheduled to proceed with four other accused.
- NZPA
