SEQUEL TO PUKEKORE BURGLARIES

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 722, 11 April 1922, Page 5

SEQUEL TO PUKEKORE BURGLARIES

NUMEROUS OFFENCES.

EIGHT CHARGES AGAINST YOUTH

OF BREAKING AND ENTERING,

THEFT AND FORGERY

PLEADS GUILTC TO ALL CHARGES.

COMMITTED FOR SENTENCE,

As a sequel to the recent burglaries that were committed in Pukekohe, a youth named

Walter Leonard', Cooper, who is described as a labourer, a

recent antival in Pukekohe,. was arrested and appeared all the Police Court on Thursday before Messrs F. Perkins and J., G. Russel?, J’P., charged as follows

(1) That on 19th March, 1922, at Pukekohe, he did break and enter by night the shop occupied by Reginald Davies and steal therefrom 18s in silver the property of Reginald Davies ; (2) on the same date and place he did break and enter by night the shop occupied by Thomas Leslie Maxwell and steal' therefrom 5 men’s sh'irts valued at £3 12s Gd, one pair of binoculars in leather case, valued at £ls, the sum of 3s in cash, a total value of £lB 15s 6d, the property of Thos. Leslie Maxwell; (3) that he did on Ist April., 1922, at Pukekohe, break and enter by night the shop occupied by Walter Greenham} Shotholt and steal therefrom the sum of £4 9s in cash and a cheque book valued 2s, to a total value of £4/11, the property of W. G. Shotholt; 4 (4) that he did on'

Ist April, 1922, at Pukekohe, break and enter by night the shop occupied by Harry Prime and steal, therefrom one boxi of candles valued at Is 9d, one box of face powder valued at Is, two strings of beads valued at 2s, one pockot wallet valued at Is 3d, one pencil sharpner valiue Gd, a total va)iie of 8s 6d, the property of Harry Prime; (5) that on March '3oth, 1922, at Waiuku, he did commit forgery by signing the name of Raymond Harris to a withdrawal slip for £lB on the Post Office Savings Bank, with the intention that it be acted upon as if) it were genuine; (6) ,on or about 17th March, 1922, at Pukekohe, being the servant of Harry Prime did commit theft of one accordeon value £3, one watclt valued 12s 6d,*'a total va.'kie of £3 12s 6d, the property of Harry Prime; (7) that on 30th March, 1922, at Pukekohe, he committed the theft of a Post Office Savings Bank book, the property of Raymond Harris; (8) that on or about 17th March, 1922, at Pukekohe, being the servant of Harry Prime, he did steal one leather suit case to the value of £2 14s the property of Harry Prime. Constable Miller conducted the proceedings on behalf of the police, accused not being represented, by counsel.

The first witness called was Henry Herbert Prime, principal of the Prime Hardware Co., who recently established a business in Pukekohe. He knew the accused, who had been working for'him for a week. He was engaged opening cases. Witness did not put him off. On a Tuesday morning accused .did not turn up to work and gave no reason for it. On April Ist when witness went to open the shop he found the office window and office door wide open, both havinc ben forced Upon investigation he found, a rifle and several tools missing, which' had been removed | from the shop window—-the rifle was left in the office and the tools were i left outside the back door. Several articles were missed, but at the

moment he could not exactly fell what they were. He found out later what they were through going through his stock. Later Constable Miller showed him several articles which he recognised as h(s property, namely, a pocket wallet, a packet of Field's coloured (taper) candles, two strings of beads, a small box of face powder. After the accused was in his employ for a few days, he missed an accordeon (produced), a watch, a leather suit case, all produced which

were his property. Harold George Allan, telegraphist, employed by the Post and Telegraph Department, at Waiuku, said his duties consisted of attending to counter and Savings Bank business. He remembered Thursday, March 30th. At about 1 p.m. the accused called at the counter and presented a Savings Bank pass book in the name of Raymond Harris, saying he wanted to

draw out some money and wanted to know the quickest way in which he could do it. Witness told him he could do it by telegraph (urgent) withdrawal si p by paying double rites. This procedure he elected to frt on. (Witness produced the slip and a receipt for the money. £lB, 3 gned bv R. Harris). Seme time later

the authority was telegraphed from Auckland in the usual course, and the £lB was paid out, making an entry in the bank book to this effect. The name of R. Harris was signed on both forms.

Reginald Davies, draper, King Street, Pukekohe, said that on 19th March, 1922, he visited his shop and found the premises had been broken into. He looked through his stock as far as he could but did not find anything massing excepting 18s in cash, which had disappeared. He locked his premises up on the previous Saturday afternoon, March 13th, all' windows and doors being securely locked.

To the Bench : The back window had been forced open. The cash was taken from an open drawer. A screw driver (produced) was his property.

Thomas Leslie Maxwell, tailor and men’s outfitter, King Street, Pukekohe, said on 19th March he visited his shop and found it had been broken dnto, an entrance having been affected by forcing the back window. A door dividing the cutting room from the shop had also been forced open. He examined his stock and found that 5 shirts were missing, and a pair of binoculars in a leather case and a few shillings, which accused said was 3s, which was about correct. He was shown 5 shirts by/the police and the binocular case. He recognised them as his property. (The shirts bore eloquent testimony of having been worn, they being in a somewhat dirty and soiled state.) The binoculars were still missing. He locked his premises on Saturday afternoon, 18th March, at about 3 p.m., the doors and windows ali being securely fas--1 tened.

Herbert Shotholt, manager of drapery department for W. G. Shotholt,

'Pukekohe, said on April Ist, when he came down to open the shop he found various things, first of which was that the cash register had been forced and cash missing. Other money was taken from the office, a total of about £4 9s, also a cheque book, which he recognised as his broI ther’s property . A cash bag (proj duced) containing the money taken from the drawer*, was their property. The safe had been tried with a chisel and axe but entry thereto could not be gained. The back window ; was forced and the- lock broken and the back door left open. The premises were locked on{ the Friday night previous at about~9 o’clock, all doors and windows being then secure.

Raymond Harris, aged 17 years, employed at the Pukekohe Butter Factory, said he boarded at Mrs Frost’s boardinghouse. He had a P. 0.. Savings Bank book and a credit ,of £2O. He kept the bank book in a smalil leather bag locked under his bed- He last sajw his bag intact on the previous Thui| day, 30th March. He did not examine it closely. On Saturday night, Ist April, he had occasion to look into the bag and discovered the back had been cut open, the bank book being there. He looked at thq( bank book and the first thing he noticed that a withdrawal had been made, but he was unable to see how much it was because the/ writing and figures had been rubbed out. The Post Office ■date was visible. He did not authorise anyone to draw the money out. The signatures on the withdrawal slips (produced) were not his. Constable Miller said that on Api'il Ist, 1922, in consequence of a complaint received he proceeded to Prime's Hardware shop in King Street, Pukekohe, and found that the premises had been entered from the rear. The back door and window were open, both having been forced by some hard instrument. After an examination of the shop he interviewed the accused in Short’s billiard room and said to him, “Were you through Prime’s shop last night.” Accused said “No.” Witness then said “You are not speaking the truth.” Accused said 1 “Yes, it was me.” Witness then said “What about Shotbolt’s’” and accused replied “I did it at the same time.” Witness asked “What time were you through these places,” to which accused replied “Between 12 and one o’ciock in the morning.” Witness said “Do you know anything about Tom MaxwelTs” and he said “No.” Witness then said “How do you account for Tom MaxwelTs binocular case being in your room ?” Acused then said “I did it.” Witness then said “What about Davies ?” Accused sa/d “Yes, I done that at the same time.” Along with the accused witness p”oceeded to his (accused’s) room at Mrs Frost’s boardinghouse, and recovered 5 shirts, the property of “Tom” Maxwell. Four pounds nine shillings in cash, the cheque book, the property of W- G. Shotlicit ; one packet of candles, a pocket wallet, a box of face powder, the property of Herbert Prime. He then

arrested him and charged him with breaking and entering and theft.

The same eveining Raymond Harris handed a Post Office Savings Book to the police, and on examination it appeared that a withdrawal had been made at the Post Office Savings Bank at Waiuku. The writing and figures had been erased but the date stamp and the name of the Post Office were visible. On Monday, April 3rd, witness interviewed accused at Mt. Eden gaol and said “What about that watch and accordeon of Prime’s. He replied “I 00k that too.” Witness interviewed accused to-day with reference to a suit case belonging to Mr Prime, and he admitted taking that also. Accused had been, very fair and had given invaluable assistance to the police in, recovering everything excepting the £lB and the binoculars. Constable Miller added that he also interviewed accused with reference to Raymond Harris’ bank book. Witness said to him “Did you make this withdrawal?’ and he replied “Yes, I did that too.” Witness said to him, “What has become of the binoculars..” Accuse,d said “Somebody stole them out of my room.” Accused, when asked if he had anything to say replied in the negative. He pleaded guilty to every charge levelled against him,'and was coumitted to the Supreme Court for sentence.