STOLEN CERTIFICATES

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 32, 8 February 1933, Page 9

STOLEN CERTIFICATES

HISSING FOE TWO YEAKS

YOUNG MEN CHARGED

Six Post Office investment certificates which were stolen in November, 1930j figured largely in a case in tile Supreme Court to-day when two young men, Gilbert James Edwin. Northcott and Dennis Henry Fryer, appeared before Mr. Justice Blair and a jury to answer charges of burglary and theft. The two were jointly charged with breaking and entering and theft from the premises of the Manchester Manufacturing Company and Henry Schneideman and Sons, Ltd., with alternative charges of theft and receiving. In addition Northcott was charged with breaking and entering the counting house of Harold Edwards in November, 1930, and stealing Post Office investment certificates, share certificates, and cash of a total value of £350.. Alternatively; he was charged with stealing and receiving the investment certificates, and,he was further charged with stealing two cameras. Mr. C. Evans-Seott prosecuted, Mr. E. L. A. Cresswell appeared for Northcott, and Mr. D. MeGrath for Fryer. The Crown called evidence to show that on 10th November, 1930, the office of Harold Edwards, builder, Lambton quay, was broken into, and one £100 Post Office investment certificate, five £10 certificates, a Post Office Savings Bank book,. two share certificates, a cash box, and £1 9s in cash was stolen. The total value of the stolen property was about £350. No trace was found of the stolen property for two years until 12th September, 1932, the maturmg.date of the £100 investment certificate. On that day,a man, subsequently identified/by the teller as Northcott, cashed the certificate-.at the Wellington East Post Office. He received the money in one £50 note, one £20, two £10 notes, and two £5 notes. It was not until about an hour afterwards that the teller, on making a cheek, found that the certificate had been notified as being missing. The Chief Post Office and the police were then notified. On 3rd November, the maturing date of the £10 certificates, Northcott called at Te Aro Post Office. He was told the certificates were on the'missing list, and he, said that he had found them Hedenied to Detective F. Y. Eobinson, who was called, that he had cashed the £100 certificate. On 17th September five days after the £100 certificate had been cashed, Northcott booked a passaS?,.f °r England, V^S the dePosit with a £20 note. On I9th October he .paid the balance of the passage money £24 17s with a £50 note. Northcott was arrested by Detective Eobinson at Te Aro Post Office, and when the detective searched the accused's "bach" ho found suits, overcoats shirts, and other clothing which wero identified as having been stolen from the. Manchester Manufacturing Company and Henry Schneideman and Sons, Ltd. There were also two cameras. Northeott told Detective Robinson that he had bought the clothing from a man named "Ned," and one of the cameras trom a man in the bar of an hotel. The other camera he said he had had in his possession for two years. Acting on information received Detective Eobinson then interviewed Fryer who also had some of the stolen clothing in his possession. He said he had got the goods from Northcott

(Proceeding.)