Youth’s Career Of Forgery And Theft Ends in Borstal

Grey River Argus, 11 August 1948, Page 7

Youth’s Career Of Forgery And Theft Ends in Borstal

ROTORUA, August 10.. A career of forgery and theft, in which a 16-year-old boy acted with “very vicious habits and the assurance and audacity of a seasoned hand,” was described by SeniorDetective A. J. White in the Children’s Court this morning before Mr S. L. Paterson, S.M. The eight, charges included one of forgery of a Post Office withdrawal slip to the value of 97 and the conversion of a motoi' car, at Auckland, valued at J£soo. . : The accused had been staying in Auckland, said Detective White, when he had converted a motor car and had driven it to Mercer, where it was abandoned. In Mercer he had incurred a debt for board and lodging of £2 16s and had left without paying. He had also stolen £1 IDs from a boarding house. He next turned up at Rotorua where he stole a compass and a Post Office pass book from a suitcase in an adjoining room at his hotel. WHOSE CARELESSNESS? The forged withdrawal slip for £97 11s Id was presented on June 28. After' the slip had been returned from Wellington, where it had been sent for checking with the specimen signature, the accused was then put through several identification tests, which he had completed satisfactorily, and the money was paid to him. It appeared later, said Detective White, that ihe signature did not nearly resemble the spicimen m Wellington and the Wellington office had neglected to advice the Rotorua branch of this fact. Another forged slip for £9 17 on another stolen book was presented on July 27, but, while the officers cf the savings bank were discussing the signature, the accused had oceanic suspicious and left. Inquiries were made and the accused was arrested the same day. In his possession were a wallet and another pass book, which he had stolen that clay from a railway employee. “Not one penny of the money has been recovered,” he added. “The boy has been operating like an adult and is possessed of very strong criminal tendencies.” On three charges the accused was convicted and ordered to be detained in a Borstal institution for a period not exceeding two years while on the remaining five he was convicted and discharged.