Teens confess to buried cash

A Busselton teenager and two friends have admitted stealing $24,500 from his grandparents.

The boys, aged 14, 15 and 16, pleaded guilty in Busselton Children’s Court on Tuesday to stealing the cash – much of which was buried at an undisclosed location.

The youths were smoking cannabis at the grandparents’ house on January 24 when the grandson unlocked a safe and retrieved a metal box containing the money.

The trio then rode bikes to the beach, where they broke open the box and distributed the cash among themselves.

When later questioned by police, the 15-year-old handed over $2,500, which he claimed was his share of the cash.

The 16-year-old said he spent his portion – also $2,500 - on a motorbike and camping equipment.

The grandson told the court he spent $2,300 on a motorbike and accessories, $1,500 on camping gear and $1,200 on cannabis in the days after the theft.

He and three friends, including the 15 and 16-year-old, went camping the day after and buried about $12,000 in the bush, but he could not remember where due to heavy cannabis consumption.

Both other boys claim they do not know where the money is and the fourth member of the group has not been identified.

Prosecuting officer Sergeant John Mawson said each boy was equally responsible and $22,000 was still outstanding.

“I strongly suspect there is more behind the scenes than what’s been declared,” Sgt. Mawson told the court.

Magistrate Elizabeth Hamilton said she would deal with each boy on the basis of equal culpability.

She sentenced the 15 and 16-yearold to a five month youth community based order with supervision and programme requirements, but gave the grandson more time to recover the money before sentencing him on May 14.

“He and his grandfather need to go digging to try to find this money,” she said.

“One hopes someone else has not been digging before them.”