Banker found not guilty of stealing from M-Benz World
Banker found not guilty of stealing from M-Benz World
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Discussion

thelawnet

Original Poster:

1,539 posts

186 months

Wednesday 18th February 2015
quotequote all
http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/banker...

Basically:

  • The accused makes a large salary in a senior position for Lloyds Bank
  • He also collects steering wheels and is involved in motorsport through a BTCC team
  • In August last year he went to Mercedes Benz World, and removed a Nico Rosberg F1 steering wheel, which he placed under his jacket, and walked out.
He was arrested the next day, and his defence was that someone (not clear who, and there doesn't seem to be a paper trail of any kind) had set him up as a prank. Also the steering wheel wouldn't go in his collection, because Rosberg only came 9th, and he only collects Champions' steering wheels. And also he's a rich guy and he has too much to lose.

Found not guilty.

ging84

9,548 posts

177 months

Thursday 19th February 2015
quotequote all
Seems a fairly odd case
He claims someone claiming to work for MB had previously contacted him about it and asked him if he knew someone who could repair it
And the key thing you've left out is that his house was searched by the police in his absence, and they seized a steering wheel from his collection, which turned out not to be the one he had taken, and he then contacted them to volunteer the one they had been searching for


mybrainhurts

90,809 posts

286 months

Thursday 19th February 2015
quotequote all
ging84 said:
his house was searched by the police in his absence, and they seized a steering wheel from his collection, which turned out not to be the one he had taken


Steering wheel, steering wheel..

Has anybody seen a steering wheel?

It looks like this...

hehe

thelawnet

Original Poster:

1,539 posts

186 months

Thursday 19th February 2015
quotequote all
ging84 said:
Seems a fairly odd case
And the key thing you've left out is that his house was searched by the police in his absence, and they seized a steering wheel from his collection, which turned out not to be the one he had taken, and he then contacted them to volunteer the one they had been searching for
His wife let them in, to be specific.

I suppose it is interesting. There are a few explanations, of course. Either the wheel was there, but Mr. Plod couldn't tell one from the next, which is perfectly likely, and just took the wrong one. Or it wasn't there, for any number of possible reasons.


JuniorD

9,013 posts

254 months

Thursday 19th February 2015
quotequote all
So he got a call while at MB world? Presumably his phone records were cross checked?

thelawnet

Original Poster:

1,539 posts

186 months

Thursday 19th February 2015
quotequote all
JuniorD said:
So he got a call while at MB world? Presumably his phone records were cross checked?
You can even request the records yourself: http://www.vodafone.co.uk/cs/groups/configfiles/do...

I would assume that the prosecution didn't bother in this case, but who knows.

anonymous-user

85 months

Thursday 19th February 2015
quotequote all
hehe

"Prosecutor Johnson sttu"

hehe

Oakey

27,984 posts

247 months

Thursday 19th February 2015
quotequote all
So why did he stick it under his jacket? Wouldn't you just say to the receptionist "I'm here for the steering wheel.... why are you looking at me like that?"

paintman

7,860 posts

221 months

Thursday 19th February 2015
quotequote all
Does seem to be a strange decision. Would be interested to see what the thoughts of a Judge would be if the CPS decided to appeal.

Dave Hedgehog

16,366 posts

235 months

Thursday 19th February 2015
quotequote all
A very odd case

The magistrate also thanked the defendant for his 100k donation to his charity "Campaigning Against Singular Homelessness"

this may not have happened

austinsmirk

5,597 posts

154 months

Thursday 19th February 2015
quotequote all
imagine an evenings company with someone who collects steering wheels.

one can only dream of meeting a cheese label collector, a beer mat enthusiast, or a spark plug collector just to make the experience less dull.


although I suspect this guy might lay on a free bar/food though.

thelawnet

Original Poster:

1,539 posts

186 months

Thursday 19th February 2015
quotequote all
Dave Hedgehog said:
A very odd case

The magistrate also thanked the defendant for his 100k donation to his charity "Campaigning Against Singular Homelessness"

this may not have happened
Apparently he is an 'Ambassador' for this charity
http://www.henrysurteesfoundation.com/

stuttgartmetal

8,164 posts

247 months

Thursday 19th February 2015
quotequote all
He may well have bored the arse off an employee one day, and they've decided to prank him.
Caught not by phone records, but by getting into his black porsche.

otolith

69,479 posts

235 months

Thursday 19th February 2015
quotequote all
No sign of those folks who questioned the relevance of the Flybe pilot's occupation to the story about him drowning his neighbour's dog?

Retroman

975 posts

164 months

Thursday 19th February 2015
quotequote all
I wonder if the police would act as vigilant if i reported my steering wheel stolen.

Ilovejapcrap

3,311 posts

143 months

Thursday 19th February 2015
quotequote all
Retroman said:
I wonder if the police would act as vigilant if i reported my steering wheel stolen.
Or indeed your full car

JuniorD

9,013 posts

254 months

Thursday 19th February 2015
quotequote all
otolith said:
No sign of those folks who questioned the relevance of the Flybe pilot's occupation to the story about him drowning his neighbour's dog?
I think his occupation is relevant because his defence refered to it in court. If it's considered elevant to them, then it must be relevant.

thelawnet

Original Poster:

1,539 posts

186 months

Friday 20th February 2015
quotequote all
Retroman said:
I wonder if the police would act as vigilant if i reported my steering wheel stolen.
Probably depends where you live. This happened in Surrey, where crime rates are much lower than some other areas.