I don't understand why we on this forum pussyfoot around and are the last to name names when all is already in the public domain.
It seems to me that there may have been exasperating circumstances in this case and he merely gave vent to his feelings.
.... oohhh in our money economy these machines are taboo, tabu, tapu!
We need more pilots like this who when it is reasonable can step outside the box.
But we have to train our pilots so that they can make action like this without having to drink beers first.
"Drunken pilot stole Octopus machine
Cathay flyer fined for McDonald's stunt "
Loretta Fong and Simon Parry
Oct 18, 2008
An Australian Cathay Pacific (SEHK: 0293) pilot who stole an Octopus card machine from a McDonald's restaurant while drunk was fined HK$3,000 yesterday.
Nicholas Reymond, 31, pleaded guilty to one count of theft in Eastern Court before Principal Magistrate Garry Tallentire. He was also ordered to pay the fast-food chain HK$3,000 in compensation.
The prosecutor told the court that the manager at the branch of McDonald's in Castle Road, Central, discovered the machine was missing from a cashier counter on the morning of February 3.
When he checked closed-circuit television footage, the images showed Reymond, who was with two other people, disconnecting the machine. He then used his Octopus card to buy food at another counter, the court heard.
The prosecutor said police were able to trace Reymond through his Octopus card. He walked into a police station on June 26 but denied any wrongdoing under caution.
However, the court heard that Reymond turned himself in again on July 15. This time he admitted under caution that he had taken the machine.
Reymond made a second caution statement on August 25, during which he refused to identify his two friends and said they had nothing to do with the theft.
The prosecutor added that if anyone connected the stolen Octopus machine to a computer with Octopus software, it could be used to add value to any Octopus card, up to a maximum of HK$20,000.
However, there was no evidence to show that Reymond had used the machine to add value to any Octopus card, the court was told.
In mitigation, the court was told that Reymond, who has been flying since 1999, was receiving first-officer training. His lawyer said he was loyal and mature, and that he had committed the offence after drinking heavily.
A letter written by a senior Cathay captain detailing the pilot's professionalism was submitted to the court.
His lawyer asked the magistrate to consider his client's career and treat him leniently, adding that he had not committed the offence for personal gain.
In sentencing, Mr Tallentire said the crime had arisen out of stupidity and that it was a serious offence. He said the defendant, being a responsible person, should not have committed such wrongdoing. He hoped the incident would not affect his career and that his company would give him another chance.
A Cathay Pacific spokeswoman said they would conduct an investigation into the incident.
She said the company had no set policy in handling such cases and that they would look at the details, circumstances and severity of the incident, and review it on its merits.
Octopus Card Limited declined to comment.
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