Man caught with loot from robbery

A Blenheim man who admitted holding money for payment of a stolen television had no idea it was stolen, says his defence lawyer.

Leonard James Pullan, 37, a bushman, admitted receiving when he appeared in Blenheim District Court and was fined $700.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Graham Single said Pullan was holding $150 from someone wanting to buy the television for his then flatmate who was involved in the armed robbery of the Cloudy Bay Business Park on October 30.

The stolen equipment, including 13 flat-screen televisions, digital cameras, desktop computers and stereo equipment, was taken back to Pullan's flat where he was shown the items and told they were stolen, Mr Single said.

Pullan told police he did not know the items were from a knifepoint robbery and was just holding the money for his flatmate.

Defence counsel Laurie Murdoch said Pullan disputed he knew the items were in the house and the person who bought the television was a workmate.

Pullan gained no financial bene-fit from the sale and should have asked more questions about the transaction, she said.

Meanwhile, another Blenheim man who bought one of the flatscreen televisions taken in the armed robbery of the Cloudy Bay Business Park also appeared in court yesterday.

Mr Single said Malakai Buretini Naduva, 21, bought the 32-inch Samsung television valued at $1649, for only $300 and told police the deal to buy it was "too good to pass up" and he did not know it was stolen.

Naduva admitted receiving and was sentenced to 70 hours' community work.

- The Marlborough Express

Last updated 12:00 01/02/2011