WA: Nine charged in relation to stolen old style banknotes

AAP General News (Australia)
08-19-1999
WA: Nine charged in relation to stolen old style banknotes

PERTH, Aug 19 AAP - Nine people have been charged in connection with the theft of a handbag
containing $38,000 cash, most of it in old-style paper banknotes.

However, nobody has been charged with the theft of the money, police said today.

Detective Senior Constable Jenny Sara said information received from a number of
businesses, where people had tried to use the banknotes, had led to the arrests.

The handbag was stolen from 63-year-old Queensland tourist Bevely (Bevely) Battersby as she
had her acrylic nails repaired in a Perth beauty salon on August 11.

The money, Mrs Battersby's life savings, was to be used to pay for a holiday around
Australia for the retiree and her terminally ill husband Noel.

Detective Sara said the nine people arrested, aged between 13 and 31, had been charged with
a variety of offences including receiving stolen money.

She said they were still looking for an Armadale woman whom they believed had gone into
hiding.

"Investigating officers have identified Kirsty Anne Slater, 18 years of age, as a person
whom they believe may assist with this enquiry," she said.

Detective Sara would not say if police had recovered any of the money.

She said Mrs Battersby, who is in Port Hedland, was still very upset about the incident and
had been treated for stress.

Ms Slater is described as 168cm tall, with shoulder length brown-red hair and of Aboriginal
appearance.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Crimestoppers.

AAP alm/arb

KEYWORD: BANKNOTES (CARRIED EARLIER)

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