SHOP BROKEN INTO

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 25, 30 January 1929, Page 13

SHOP BROKEN INTO

GOODS AND MONEY STOLEN

TWO YOUNG MEN PLEAD GUILTY

The fact that they were hard up was advanced by two.labourers, John AVeir, aged 20, and Jack Summers, aged 20, tlio reason for them breaking and entering Thawley and Sutherland's shop in Molesworth street on the night of Will January, and stealing goods and money, of a total value of £34. They pleaded guilty to the charge in the Magistrate's. Court to-day.

lOvidenco was given by Olive A. Hall, employed as a bookkeeper and counter assistant by .Messrs. Thawley and Sutherland, that on the- morning of 17th January she examined the drapery stock, and found that articles to the value 'of £15 8s Sd had been taken. Several boxes had been removed from the shelves and were scattered about the floor and counter.

William Thawley said ho locked up the shop on the night of 16th January. Next morning he found the premises had been broken into. A padlock had been broken.off the back door, and an attempt had been made to open the safe, the handle and key-hole guard having been forced off. Ho found that a quantity of his stock was missing.

Detective E. C. Jarrold said' that when he interviewed Summers, in company with Detective-Sergeant Tricklebank, on 25th January, the accused was wearing a shirt which he admitted had been taken from Thawley and Sutherland 's shop on the night of 16th January. Witness, accompanied by Summers, then went to. a house in Hopper street, where the two accused occupied ;i room. Weir hud a suit case on the floor of the room, and in it there were several newspaper parcels containing silk stockings, gloves, and cigarette' papers. Weir became abusive, and said that had witness arrived half an hour later lie *md the goods would have been gone. Witness searched the room, and found two screw drivers and other articles. The two accused made statements, in which they admitted breaking into the shop and stealing goods, part of which, they said, had afterwards been stolen from. them. Some of the goods had been sold to secondhand dealers, and these had been recovered.

When asked by the Magistrate (Mr. E. Page, S.M.) if they had anything to say, tho accused asked to be given a chance. Summers said that things had been going pretty hard with him, and he had been sleeping out. Ho was in need of money, so he and his friend had agreed, to commit the burglary.

Tho Magistrate" committed the accused, to the Supreme Court for sentence.