Gold stolen in transit

(CNS): The RCIPS has charged a man with multiple counts of theft following a lengthy police investigation into the disappearance of gold from courier packets, but the victims of this alleged crime are also taking civil action against the suspect's employers to recover the value of the goods he allegedly stole from a local pawn shop. Island Elements, the owners of Cash Wiz, have filed suit against Federal Express, the employer of the courier that they believe stole some $66,000 of gold between November 2011 and April 2012. The pawn store claims that Evon Robinson, who was employed by the international courier company, was assigned to the gold shops business and during the time he was dealing with their shipments they allege that he was taking pieces for himself.

The 34-year-old man, who has been charged with nine counts of theft and six counts of realising criminal assets under the proceeds of crime, collected the gold jewellery and other items from the Cash Wiz stores. The gold items were weighed and then shipped to various metal refineries in the US, which purchased them by weight from the Cayman-based firm.

However, according to the consignment records, on at least 12 occasions items of gold disappeared from the packages, reducing the weight once they had arrived in the US and in turn reducing the money paid to the pawn shop over that five month period by CI$66,447.57

As the international courier firm was Robinson’s employer and as Cash Wiz entrusted Federal Express to carry the packets safely to their destination, the suit holds the courier company liable for the missing gold and claims damages, compensation, interest and costs for the losses.

The suit was filed in the Grand Court last Monday following Robinson’s appearance in court on 3 September, when he was bailed to return at a future date.

See details of law suit below, courtesy of OffshoreAlert.