Tsunami stories: Tsunami donation tin thief convicted

A woman who stole a tsunami relief collection bucket with about $250 in it has been convicted of theft.

The Northland solo mother, 34, pleaded guilty to the theft charge at the North Shore District Court yesterday after police withdrew the initial charge of burglary.

The woman took the money from the Orewa Mad Butcher on Friday, December 31.

Judge David Wilson, QC, remanded the woman on bail to the Kaitaia District Court for sentencing.

He ordered name suppression until then, saying the information he had been given suggested "serious psychological issues which need to be addressed".

Fired for hospital theft

A security guard at Tauranga Hospital has been fired from his job and ordered to do community work after taking donations for tsunami victims.

Leonard Rewiti Soper, 36, pleaded guilty to theft when he appeared at the Tauranga District Court.

He had been working for Challenge Security at the hospital's campus, when he stole $48 cash and some loose change on January 7.

Finger rumour hits sales

The seafood business in Malaysia has been hit by a post-tsunami rumour that a human finger had been found in a fish's belly, news reports said yesterday. Fish sales in Penang halved because of the story, the Star newspaper reported.

To offset the damage, fish sellers served free meals to a large crowd in northern Penang state, where most of Malaysia's 68 deaths occurred.

'Healing' will take time

World Bank president James Wolfensohn says it will take up to three months to draft a detailed reconstruction plan for tsunami-hit nations and cautions against rushing the massive effort.

He says communities ravaged by the December 26 earthquake and tidal waves need time to "heal" before working with the authorities on rehabilitation programmes.

"To hurry the process without getting the people involved is probably not going to work," Mr Wolfensohn says.

- AGENCIES