YOUNG THIEVES.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19171, 30 November 1927, Page 5

YOUNG THIEVES.

A GANG DISPERSED. SHARP SENTENCES. An amazing series of thefts was carried out by a gang of young City hoodlums for some time until the investigations of Acting-Detective J. Is. Findiay put a stop to their escapades and brought them to face Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court yesterday morning. Groceries, bicycles, watches, and money held an attraction for the boys, who look the bicycles to the residence of one of the "gang" and stripped them. The boys were Stanley William McKenzie, i ( J years ot age (Mr \V. i}\ Tracy), William Ford, 17 years of age, Mullin brooker Fergusson, 18 years of age, and another 17-years-o*a youth, whose name was suppressed. The charges laid against them were: McKenzie: Receiving stolen goods to the value of £1 Os lOd; the theft of a bicycle valued at £lO, the property of Ronald Frank Chinneryj the theft of a silver wristlet watch and Is 9d in money to thu total value ot £3 la 9ci, The property of Tessa Aiken Patrick; und the theft of a gold watch, valued at £5, the property ot Evelyn Haig Coopei. Ford: The theft of Gunnery's bicycle. Fergusson: Receiving stolen pro-' perty, to the value ot £1 IDs, the value of a silver watch, the property of some person unknown. McKenzie, Ford, and Fergusson were jointly charged with the theft of a bicycle valued at £4 10s, the property of Jack Hardie Harris, and McKenzie and Ford were further charged with the theft of a bicycle and a torch to the total value of £6 10s, the property of 6ome person unknown. The fourth boy was charged with the theft of groceries valued at £1 0s lOd, the property of his employer. "1 might say the whole of this business centres in McKenzie," said the Chief-Detective. He explained that McKenzie got into the habit of going to the shop where the accused whose name was suppressed worked, and getting groceries and cigarettes. The other lad stole them, and McKenzie received them. The watches were stolen by MoKenzie from the clothes of bathers at New Brighton. McKenzie and Ford had deliberately taken three bicycles from the City one Saturday night, and had stripped and altered them. Ford hod only filed the number off one of the machines, but was implicated. Further evidence was taken, and the Magistrate conferred with Mr W. H. Darby, Probation Officer, who said he had been investigating the cases for some time. Fergusson had only himself to blame for his present position. "As for McKenzie, I think it a pity he has to be sent to the Borstal Institute to contaminate the other boys there," said Mr Darby. "He is nothing but a.thorough young rascal and a scoundrel. In my opinion his influence is responsible for the actions of the other lads and many other boys in Christchurch. This is a nice little nest, and I am glad it has been brought to light." . "So am I," said the Magistrate, "and it is due to the fine work of the police engaged on the case ' Fergusson was remanded until tomorrow for further information to be gathered; McKenzie was sentenced to be detained for reformative treatment for eighteen months; Ford was sentenced to a period not exceeding three yeare in the Borstal Institute at Invercargiil; and the fourth boy was placed on probation for -two years.