French pair walk out with almost $5,000 stolen goods
An arrest warrant was issued on Monday in Young, NSW after two French cherry pickers failed to appear in court for stealing thousands of dollars’ worth of electronics from Harvey Norman according to The Young Witness.
Geoffery Moreaux, 25, and Jeanne Perrot, 20, who were working in Young picking cherries for a local orchard late last year, were due to appear in Young Local Court on January 19, both facing a shoplifting charge.
Perrot has also been charged with goods suspected stolen in custody. Magistrate Peter Dare SC issued a warrant for the pair’s arrest.
According to police facts tendered in court, the couple were in the electrical department at Harvey Norman in Young about 10.30am on December 20.
Moreaux distracted store staff while Perrot allegedly removed a laptop valued at $2999 from the display rack.
She also allegedly stole a $99 speaker and $20 USB charger cable, hiding them in her black backpack.
A short time later Perrot distracted another staff member as Moreaux allegedly removed a Samsung Galaxy tablet, worth $597, from the shelf, putting it inside a white shopping bag.
The pair left the store without paying and a short time later staff realised the items – totalling $3715 – were missing.
About 4pm Harvey Norman staff were driving past McDonald’s in Boorowa Street and saw allegedly Moreaux with the tablet, walking into the restaurant.
They immediately called police.
Police attended the premises, stopping and searching the pair on Boorowa Street.
Officers found the stolen items on each of them.
They also found a $65 portable shaver, $24 mobile phone armband and $138 power bank charger in Perrot’s possession.
She was questioned by police but couldn’t explain how she came into possession of the goods nor provide a receipt for their purchase.
Police suspected they were unlawfully obtained.