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A young Indian woman from Fiji who stole thousands of dollars from her former employer will be sentenced next month after appearing in the Queenstown District Court yesterday.
The Southland Times reports Devi Sumita, 21, a Fiji-Indian in New Zealand on a work permit, admitted three charges of using a document for pecuniary advantage when she appeared before Judge Dominic Flatley.
Sumita was employed by Caltex in the resort town between October 22 and January 1.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Ian Collin told the court the defendant used a High Country Horses charge card and Shotover Canyon Swing cards to obtain more than $2000.
The cards were left behind the Gorge Rd garage counter for private use.
During her employment, Sumita learned the PINs of the cards, which were used by the firms to pay for petrol.
When other customers paid for petrol using cash, instead of entering the transactions as required, Sumati used the charge cards to pay electronically.
The money was placed in the till but it was not logged, the court was told.
Between December 5 and 30 she used a Shotover Canyon card 16 times to obtain $655 and a second card 26 times between November 29 and December 30 to obtain $1397.
High Country Horses lost $515 between December 6 and 9.
Mr Collin said the defendant told police she used the money to cover the costs of any driveoffs from the petrol station.
Judge Flatley deferred sentencing to allow for confirmation of travel to Fiji within 14 days of the next appearance, on March 8, and confirmation the defendant could pay a fine and reparation.
The offending was serious because the defendant stole "many, many times," he said.
