BETRAYED HIMSELF

Evening Star, Issue 19797, 22 February 1928, Page 2

BETRAYED HIMSELF

THEFTS DYER LONG PERIOD POSTAL NOTE ENDORSEMENT UONVIGTS HIM [Per United Press Association.] DARGAVJLLE, February 21. Dargavillo has been suffering for the past two years from the depredations of a petty thief, and all efforts to apprehend him proved unsuccessful until ii fortnight ago, when two postal notes which were returned from Tattcrsall’s to the local post office proved his undoing. These notes were part of the proceeds stolen from the till of the local grocer, who informed the Postal Department, which kept watch to see -when they were paid into the office. The department’s efforts were rewarded, for the notes arrived back from Hobart with the sender’s endorsement on them.

Later Joseph J. Lotica, a married man, was arrested. On a search being made of his house a miscellaneous collection of groceries, ironmongery, drapery, hams, bacon, clothing, and other articles -was found. Letica appeared at the Police Court this morning, and pleaded guilty to six charges of theft from practically all the business places in Dargaville. He was committed to tho Supremo Court at Auckland for sentence.

The.arrest of Letica clears up a good many mysterious disappearances of goods and cash in small amounts from a number of business premises. In some instances the owners had made elaborate preparations for the capture of the thief or thieves, but without success, until he caught himself in a very simple manner.