New Zealand valor medal thief gets six-year prison term
Scanned Image of Victoria Cross Medal Ribbon & Bar. Medal design was UK Crown copyright prior to 1952 and now in the public domain. From private collection. Photo by Richard Harvey. Used under license of Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 2.0 England and Wales (UK).
The theft of 96 medals from the Waiouru Army Museum in 2007 shocked New Zealand, a small country where its record of fighting in global conflicts is a point of pride for millions.
Regarded as national treasures, the priceless collection of medals was returned after a $236,000 reward was posted by police – the biggest offered in New Zealand. It was paid out but later returned with the medals by the offender.
The thief has a criminal record of 150 past convictions and is currently serving a prison term for other crimes.
He pleaded guilty to the medals’ theft and was sentenced Thursday to six years in prison. Judge Graham Hubble also sentenced him to five years in prison for 50 other fraud and burglary charges and said the sentences must be served cumulatively. A minimum of seven years must be served before the man can be eligible to apply for parole.
The judge banned the man’s name from publication because an associate is still facing trial.
Among nine Victoria Crosses stolen were two awarded to national hero Capt. Charles Upham for “conspicuous gallantry” in battles against German troops during World War II. Upham’s were the only such twin medals awarded to a combat soldier in WWII.
Inaugurated by Queen Victoria in the mid-1800s, the Victoria Cross for gallantry in war remains the highest valor award in Britain and its former colonies.
Sentencing the thief, Hubble said the court took “a dim view” of stealing national treasures and holding them for ransom.
The thief told the court he did not mean to target any individual.
“I apologize to all servicemen past and present who served for this country,” he said. “I did it for my own personal gain and I sincerely apologize for everything I’ve done.”
Col. Ray Seymour, director of the Waiouru Army Museum, told the court the country as a whole was “so angry that anyone could have the audacity to commit this heinous crime.”
“This crime tore the heart out of every New Zealander,” he said in a victim impact statement that said he had tears in his eyes when the medals were returned to the museum 10 months after the break-in.
Amanda Upham, daughter of the late Maj. Upham, said the thief showed little remorse when he addressed the court.
A second man charged over the war medals theft is due in court next week.
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AP-CS-10-22-09 0317EDT
