Friday the thirteenth again. Unlucky for world peace but pretty serene here. Oranges and lemons still in season, and across the road while the figs are only a hint of bud at the end of a branch the loquats are coming along nicely.
North Cyprus news is depressingly full of reports of bad driving, frequently citing loss of control of the steering wheel as the cause. There are other crimes and misdemeanours that seem surprisingly rare though. Theft, for instance, is uncommon. Have had it explained that it is regarded as a sin in Islam. No doubt, but somewhat short of a complete explanation as it is considered sinful in all major religions. It is true, though, that restaurants can leave small tables and chairs outside unsecured and not have them disappear in the night.
So it is surprising to see that a retired civil servant has been convicted of theft, both because he was indeed guilty and because the amount was quite modest. In North Cyprus small official charges are often paid with stamps. You affix the correct amount in stamps to a document that requires a small processing fee. The government receives the revenue and no need for petty cash boxes or making change. Seems that the man in question repeatedly removed stamps from official documents, took cash, and used the stamps on new documents. It was hardly grand theft. Over a period of ten years he collected 17,400 Turkish lira, an amount currently worth $561 CAD or £295, though admittedly the thefts date back to years in which the lira was worth somewhat more. However, despite his having admitted the crime and made restitution the theft was considered serious in that it was repeated many times, and he has been sentenced to a year in prison.
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