YOUNG MAN'S THEFTS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 69, 8 April 1937, Page 10

YOUNG MAN'S THEFTS

Term of Borstal Given How a young man came to Hawke's Bay and on the strength of small advertisements in the newspapeps disposed of six bicyeles, all of which be had stolen, was told by Detective-Ser-geant Leo Revell at the Hasting 's Magistrate's Court yesterday morning when Kenneth Hugh Bennetts, appeared before Mr J. Miller, S.M., to anBwer seven ehaxges of theft. , The charges against Bennetts wero as follow: (1) on Mareh 18, at Hastings, stealing a hieycle value £4, bei longing to Arthur J. Prendergast; (2) on March 18, at Hastings, stealing a .bicycle valued at £6 10/- belonging to Jack G. Olsen;; (3) on March 20, at Napier, tstealing a bicycle valued at £4 10/-, belonging to Wm. W. Grant; (4) on March 19 at Napier, stealing a bicycle valued at £4 10/-, belonging -to John E. Armitacer nrt Mflrcli

10, at Napier, stealing, stealing" a bicycle valued at £10 10/-, the property of the Napier Borough Gouncil; (6) on March 11, at Hastings, ' stealing a pair of spectacles and a quantity of cigarettes, tobacco and papers valued at £3 12/3, the property of Ernest C. Holderj and (7) on March 11, at Napier, stealing a bicycle, v.alued at £6, belonging to Ronald Skews, The police officer said that up to March the aceusod was a ward of the State and licensed tq a faxmer at Bunnythorpe, but on March 6 he. clea'ed out and came to the Hastings-Napier district. "He put advertisements into the local papers selling a bicycle for 30/-," said Mr Revell. "In this way he got into cqhtaet with a number of people, for he received a big number of replies, and followed up these contacts ,by stealing six bicycles and sollJng them. All the machines have boon recovered. 4 ' Goncerning the other charge he is rather fortunate that he is not facing a major charge, for it is really a case of breaking and entering, ' 1 cpntinued the police officer. "When arrested he was found to have in his possession a pair of Spectacles and these were part of the articles and goods stolen from Mr Holder's store on March U." Mr Revell said that the aceused had been in trouble in 1935 and the foljowmg year was convicted of theft. "Hq you wish fo say anything?" asked his Worship of the accused. "No, " replied the acculsed. The Magistrate said that in view of the report of the Probation Officer there was only one course left open and that was to send the accused to Borstal. He was^ aecordingly committed to that institution for a period not exceedmg three years on the first of the seven j charges, and on each of the remainder he wais convicted and ordored to eome up for scnlencc if esilled in>nn within three years.