SERIES OF THEFTS

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 310, 24 September 1921, Page 12

SERIES OF THEFTS

A MISCELLANEOUS ASSORTMENT PRISONER PLEADS GUILTY/TO EIGHT CHARGES From Our Own Correspondent Palmerston North, September 23. ' 'The Police Court resembled notliing so much the interior of a second-hand shop to-day, when Charles Henry Roxbcrough, the man who escaped from custody, and was recaptured recently, appeared to answer twelve charges of various kinds. Prisoner, who described himself as a flaxcutter, did not appear at all perturbed at his position, and spent most of Ills time in the dock manicuring his finger nails. After evidence had been given for the prosecution, the prisoner pleaded guilty to the following charges, and was remanded to the Supreme Court at Wellington for sentence:—That on June 8 he stole from a motor-car at Tokomartl a suit case and contents valued at £lB 2s. Gd., tho properly of the Rev J. C. Abbott (ho was on remand on this charge when he escaped from ths Palmerston North lock-up); that on August 28, at Tokomartl, he broke and entered the shop of W. A. Lankshear and stole therefrom the sum of £9 in silver and copper; that between August 20 and 24 he brake into the house of Mrs. D. G, Fennerty at Tokomaru and stole blankets and clothing to tho value of £4 45.; that on August 29, at Makerua, he broke into the ehop of C. Nord ill and stole a watch and chain valued at £5 10s.; that on September 18 he broke into the dwellinghouse of C. Nerd ell at Makorua and stole a looking-glass and shaving gear to the value of £1; that on or about August 14, at Shannon, he 'broke into the shop of W. H. Gunning and stole various articles to the value of £5O 65.; that on September il at Shannon he broke into the dwellinghouse of Robert Coley and stole an electric torch and some meat' valued at 12s. 6d ; that at Palmerston North, on September 13, he escaped from., legal custody. To n. charge of having converted to • his own uso near Tokomairu a motorcycle valued at £l2O, ihe property ofl IV. Adams, he pleaded not guilty, Adams stated in evidence that he left tho bicycle, in his shed, secured with a padlock and chain, and that it was after-, wards) found some miles down the lino with the chain broken. Constable Shan-' non. who was at that time in search, of the prisoner, 'deposed to having been passed by a man answering to the pri-’ soner’s description, while driving a car between Tokomaru and Shannon. Ho gave chase, but he found the bicycle abandoned on tho road-side. Prisoner denied ever having been on the bicycle, and the Bench gave him the benefit of the doubt and dismissed the information.

Roxborougli was further charged with having during the past six months, at' various times, stolon goods from the store of G.-W. Gunning, at Shannon, to the: value of over £5; with having stolen a race game from Unnksliear’s store at, Tokomaru; and with the theft of a bicycle at Palmerston North when be first escaped from the police. All. of those charges ho denied. The Justices convicted him of these offences. and sentenced liim to three months imprisonment.