STOLEN CARS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 268, 8 August 1919, Page 2

STOLEN CARS

A DARING THEFT . IS CAR-LIFTING A CRIME? Thefts of motor-cars have been increas ins i" Wellington during the past few months. Fortunately the'thefts, so far, do not seem to have been undertaken m a serious mood or with criminal intention, as in most cases the care havo been found in different places more or, less uninjured. On Peace night, for instance, a doctor's car was removed from the place in which it had been'parked in order that the doctor and his wife could proceed • round the bay and view the fireworks. When they went to the car to proceed-•-"home, it was gone. Some hours later it was found intact in Oriental Bay. The most extraordinary case, however,' was the theft ofi Saturday evening last of the car of Mr. D. S. Patrick,, of H Hawker Street. In this case the car was boldly removed from tho garago' early in tho evening. As the garage was not "flush with'the road, but stands back, Hie thieves had to scale the gate, get the car out of tho garage (which had been left unlocked), unbolt the gates, and get away. The car was discovered abandoned in Morrah's 'Wiracc, off Wellington Terrace, on M y, with two of the tyres showing tho result of heavy usage (one being blown out), and tlio car showing signs that heavy use had been made of it on the Saturday night and Sunday morning. Mr. Patrick was naturally perturbed at the loss of his car, and, with him, every car owner will be amazed to hear that the police have advised Mr. Patrick t!ia,t, as the law > stands, there is 110 certainty of a conviction against the guilty parlies, even if it was proved conclusively that they "lifted" tho car from ihe gar.age. The police have informed Mr: Patrick that a test case is to bo heard in Napier next week that will throw light on the point. Mr. Patrick holds that the.offence is one of common / theft from private premises, and that though tho goods aro subsequently recovered, tho offencp is none' tho less a criminal one, and. punishable as 6uch. If it bo not so, then .every car owner should know tho position in order to tako'every means to guard his property, Tho point is one that the Automobilo Association might tako up in the interests or its members to the extent at least' of obtaining a legal opinion on car-lifting "as a recreation.