A Nakusp man was given a conditional discharge and ordered to pay back what he stole after pleading guilty to possession of stolen property in court last week.
Travis Tater, 22, was in court on Thursday, Jan. 30, after he was caught stealing his friend’s debit card and using it for a number of transactions in December 2012.
Over the course of several days, Tater used the stolen debit card to make cash withdrawals and store purchases worth $755.14, crown prosecutor Carey Morgan told the court.
He made purchases at several local businesses, even paying for the victim’s lunch using the stolen debit card. He brought it with him on a shopping trip to the Okanagan, where he used it at restaurants, a Best Buy and to buy gas.
Tater was caught when the victim noticed his debit card was missing. He checked his bank account online and noticed the numerous transactions. The evidence pointed to Tater as the one who stole the card.
Morgan asked for a one-year suspended sentence with a period of probation, and for Tater to pay back the victim what he stole.
Tater, who now lives in Penticton, B.C., with his girlfriend and her child, pleaded guilty. His lawyer asked for a discharge, saying that a criminal record would affect his future employment opportunities.
Judge Lisa Mrozinski sided with the defence on sentencing. She handed down a conditional discharge with one year of probation, saying Tater’s actions showed a breach of trust with his friend. She also ordered him to pay back the amounts he stole and return the items he purchased.
“This is an offence that demonstrates you were able to defraud a friend over a period of several days without any compunction of what you were doing,” said Mrozinski.
