YOUTH'S MANY CRIMES

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 32, 2 November 1920, Page 6

YOUTH'S MANY CRIMES

HOUSEBREAKING ON LARGE SCALE : SURPRISES FOR AUCKLAND ; SUBURBAN DWELLERS Br TeleeraDh—Prois A«eoolatlon.1 Auckland, November 1> This morning' in tho Police Court a; small sensation wns caused by tie extent of the housebreaking operations to which, a youth of 18 years pleaded' guilty. Harold Alexander Stewart is Ins name and, although .he is at present serving a period of three years' probatioA on account of five convictions m July of last year for housebreaking" and theft, during tho lost few months ho admitted having entered thirteen! houses during tho absence of the dwellers! and taking goods and cash aggregating nearly ,-KIOO in. value. His operations were evidently carried out with a fine eye to the conventions of Bttburbaji existence, for he attendedto houses .in Remuera, Mt. Eden,' Bp.; t»m, Edendalo, Parnell,' and Devonport, and in all cases tho premises he in*, speeted were those of professional poo-: pie who had gone out in tho morning' and would scarcely bo expected to re-' turn before nightfall. In. many . In-, stances too, the wife and otbermem-, hers of the household had gone to' town before tho enterprising youth mafl# his call, mid on tho return of the householders they found their xoomtf' ransacked. A multitu.ie of witnesses nil tout the same talo of having gon» out leaving everything secure and returning to find that some \unlatchod. .window had been opened nnd cash,! clothing, and jewels had mysteriously vanished. The actual goods charged'up to tho criminal account of the boy in-' eluded about o, dozen sold and silver watches, many rings, tiepins, purses and wallets.- a child's money-box, collection: of curios, coins, grcensone tiki, gold medals and sovereign eases, badges,> brooches, bangles ' and medals, sundry pair of white, black and tan boots,: overcoats, and a fairly largo assortment of sundries. A good proportion of the thefts wero actual cash, none of which, wna recovered, and a large percentage' of the missing jewellery was not restored.

The youth liad 1101111115 to say, except to question ono witness who testified to losing: .£5 in cash from her dwelling. Accused said lie had only- found .£3 Ifk of it, otherwise ho hud 110 questions to ask, no explanation to offer, and, he pleaded guilty to everything. Ho was committed for sentence..