Aussie cop cleared of theft from criminal

MELBOURNE, April 26 (UPI) -- An Australian police officer has been cleared of stealing money from a Melbourne underworld figure.

Detective-Sergeant Barry Gipp had been accused of stealing the bank passbook of George Williams during a search of his home and then withdrawing $6,250 from his account the following day.

Williams, who had been arrested with his son Carl on suspicion of manufacturing drugs, had told the court he had seen a police officer looking through his bank book in his bedroom during the search in November 1999.

However, he could not not positively identify the officer, the court was told.

Gipp's lawyer told the court his client did not dispute that he was one of about nine police officers who searched the house that day but he denied stealing the passbook or withdrawing the cash from Williams' account.

The detective punched the air and members of the gallery clapped when the not guilty verdict was read out.