SERIOUS CHARGES

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19178, 8 December 1927, Page 14

SERIOUS CHARGES

AGAINST DUNEDIN GANG.

YOUNG MEN ADMIT CRIMES

[THE PKESS Special Service.]

DUNEDIN, December ". The five "adult" members of what the Chief-Detective referred to last neck :is "The Chevrolet Gang" appeared on remand this morning to answer the various charges preferred against them on Wednesday last, the offences covering breaking and entering and thct't (two informations) and .•ouvcrsiou of motor-cars (two informations). . . . Chief-Detective Cameron, in asking for a further remand, said the total number of charges to be preferred would probably be fifteen summary and thirteen indictable against Barnett, ten summary and eleven indictable against Martin,"three summary against Wilson, five summary aiid one indictable against Jlodfes, and one summary against West. Counsel had agrneJ with his Worship 9 permission that twelve of the informations be taken together, but there would bo a good number of witnesses in support of the indictable offences. The Magistrate (Mr Bartholomew): Is it necessary to issue informations in all these cases' Would it not be preferable to have just a few typical cases!

The Chief-Detectivc: The position is, sir, that there are three informations for arson, where the destruction of valuable property was involved, six informations for breaking and entering and four informations in which were involved the breaking open of letter boxes, and theft of letters. In the latter case the accused would be charged with having stolen postal packets from a l'ost Office.

Ilis Worship granted a further remand to Monday. An application was made for bail. Counsel for the accused said that tlie young fellows had been kept in custody for a week, and the police were thus given the opportunity of preparing their case.

• The Chief-Detective agreed with counsel that- the young men had been frank and had admitted the whole thing. There were still other offences which had been committed by some of the accused, but the police were barred from proceeding in these cases by the Statute of Limitations. The . Chief-Detective added that Barnett and Martin were both seriously involved in the indictable cases, which were very serious charges indeed.

His Worship said that the matter had altored somewhat since the accused were first before the Court. At that time lie took it that all the youths were more or less involved in the whole series of offences. It now appeared that Martin and Barnett were the ones most seriously involved. lie did not think that, these two at any rate should be set at liberty in the meantime. Bail would not be granted in their case. In view of the present position bail would be granted in the case of the other three accused, each'in £SO, witli one surety of £.lO.