SYPHONING BENZINE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 289, 31 March 1941, Page 5

SYPHONING BENZINE

OFFENCES INCREASING I | - BLACKOUT THEFTS The introduction of the blackout in Whakatane has been taken advantage of promptly by thieves, and an increasing number of petrol thefts have been( reported. The perpetrators "of these mean thefts have been given a mere secure feeling, and were busy in many parts of the town during the last week, finding that with all street lights completely off conditions were excellent for their criminal inclinations. W T hile the owners were attending a meeting last week several cars were visited in a central part of the town, and the owners being members of the farming community were put to great inconvenience by the loss of a considerable amount of benzine. When motorists are working on a minimum allowance the loss of even a small amount of spirit means a great deal.

It would be well for the culprits to take a warning as the local police have the matter In hand and, although the darkness of the town and its large area makes their task difficult, they are determined to make an example of the thief or thieves. Again there is a warning note issued from the Te Puke Bench before which a young man appeared last week and was penalised £3 and costs for. the theft of 2*4 Salons of petrol. In inflicting the fine the Bench stated that any further cases of benzine pilfering would be met with a term of imprisonment.