Victoria Cross thief investigated by Companies Office
One of the thieves who stole Victoria Crosses from the National Army Museum in 2007 is facing fresh scrutiny over a failed exploit that saw him returned to prison.
Ronnie van Wakeren got out of prison in December 2015 but was back inside a year later after setting up an online escort agency.
Herald on Sunday scrutiny of the documents used to form the business has led to the Companies Office considering action because of the similarities between signatures and handwriting associated with two different names.
It is coming up to the 10th anniversary of the audacious burglary of the National Army Museum at Waiouru in which 96 medals were stolen, including nine Victoria Cross medals. They were eventually returned in a deal brokered by Auckland lawyer Chris Comeskey.
Van Wakeren and James Kapa were sent to prison for 12 years and three months, and 13 years and three months respectively.
Both will be in prison for the anniversary of the thefts — van Wakeren after being returned for a breach of parole and Kapa was last month rejected, again, for parole.
Van Wakeren’s breach of parole was linked to his setting up a company called RVW Online Trading Ltd.
His sole shareholding and directorship was found to be a breach of his parole conditions.
When van Wakeren found he was facing questions over his role with the company, it updated with two new directors — a Shaun Doherty and Ron Smith, giving van Wakeren’s home address as their own.
An examination of the documents by the Herald on Sunday found directorship documents for van Wakeren and Doherty shared handwriting similarities.
Handwriting analyst Mike Maran was sent a copy of the documents and agreed — it was “more probable than not” the documents were completed by the same author.
He said “constructional features” of the date were telling, as was the slant and the space between the numerals.
“I would say it’s the same author throughout.”
Van Wakeren’s criminal record includes 131 convictions for fraud and forgery and 28 for dishonest use of a computer.
A Companies Office spokeswoman said RVW Online Trading Ltd had since been removed from the companies’ register.
She would not comment on the “apparent similarity of the handwriting and signatures for both Mr van Wakeren and Mr Doherty”.
The Companies Office was considering “further action”, she said.
The maximum penalty for providing false or misleading information was a fine of $50,000 or two years’ prison.
But a decision on taking it further would include consideration that the company had been removed and van Wakeren did not appear to be a director in any other companies.