New arrival who got cleaner job and started to steal is jailed

Friday 26 August 2022

A 41-year-old who arrived in Jersey, got a job as a cleaner and proceeded to steal items from properties has been jailed for two years and two months.

Channing Tornerup, who is from Wales, was sentenced by the Royal Court on Friday. He came to Jersey in March and contacted a local company who were advertising vacancies on Jobs in Jersey.

He started work for them the next day, cleaning an empty property as part of a team. Over the next few days, he worked at various properties in the island and proceeded to steal items of jewellery and cash while working inside several premises. 

One of the homeowners contacted the police after realising that some of her property had been stolen and Tornerup was arrested the next day.

He originally pleaded not guilty to the charges but changed his plea to guilty on 17 June in the Royal Court. Although some of the stolen items have been returned, not all the items have been recovered. 

After sentencing, Detective Constable Juliette Morris said: “This offence demonstrates a blatant breach of trust and dishonest behaviour from Tornerup. 

“He was employed in good faith to carry out this work but clearly couldn’t resist helping himself to property that didn’t belong to him.”

Lieutenant-Bailiff Anthony Olsen was sitting with Jurats Robert Christensen and Kim Averty.