TV director baron convicted in Va. antique theft

[February 05, 2010]  CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) -- Veteran TV director and English baron Raymond DeVere-Austin has been convicted of petit larceny in Virginia for taking cast iron statues from an antique store.

The 76-year-old, who also goes by the name Ray Austin, received a suspended six-month jail sentence Wednesday and must pay a $1,000 fine.

He was convicted of taking statues of Humpty Dumpty, a dog and a horse head from a shop in October. Neither DeVere-Austin nor his lawyer, David Thomas, returned calls seeking comment.

Austin has been a TV director since the 1960s. His credits include episodes of shows ranging from "The Avengers" and "Hawaii-Five-O" to "Magnum, P.I." and "JAG."

He is a baron by marriage to Wendy Devere-Austin.

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Information from: The Daily Progress, http://www.dailyprogress.com/

[Associated Press]

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