SHOPUFTING AT AUCKLAND

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 76, 16 April 1937, Page 13

SHOPUFTING AT AUCKLAND

— Pre»8 AssociatlonA

Two "Pro|e$$ionaIs" Sent to G^ol HUSBAND AND WIFE

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TeleffraDb

AUCKLAND, Last Night. Arrested in a city department store on April 2 on a charge .of siealing 41b?. of butter and a packet of cheese, of a total value of 5s 6d, Stanley Barker, a painter, aged 45, and his wifa, Mae Barker, aged 40, appeared on a series of shop-lifting charges in the Police Court before Mr. Wyvern Wilson, S,M.l Mr Allan Mo.ody appeaTpd for both .aceused and they pleaded not guilty., Detective-Sergeant McHugh prose-' cuted. The thefts were alleged to have been, ,been committed between December lj and April 2. The articles and goodsi alleged to have been stolen by accusedi included fountaia pene, foodstuffe, deck tennis rings, boys' shoes and itockinga, ladies' stockings, a camera, books, 26 yards o£ curtain net, bridge sets and cards, scanties, yards of elastic, an electric clock, shirts, cigarettes, tooth paste, cigarette liglliters, ladies' and* naen 's underwear, a game of bezique, a safety razor, toy baUoons, lazor blades,. batteries, toilet sets, a leather kit bag,! .etc, One assistant employed in a cityj department store said he kept bothj aceused under observation when theyj were in the grocery department wherei tihe customers helped themsejves. On the evening of Fxiday last he saw Mrs. Barker take 4lbs. of butter and band 11b. of butter and a paeket of cheese to the malp aceused. He later detained both. When the butter was found in their possesion both denied that they had stolen it. Witness and others had accused under suspicipn for some months. The police were communicated with and a detective arrested both accused. In evidenco both accused denied the ofEence. Cross-examiaed by Detective-Sergeant McHugh, the male accused denied fhat he had gone out last Friday evening with his wife and two young daughters to carry out the operations of a professional shoplit'ter. Detective-Sergeant McHugh: Are you a wealthy manf Barker: No; but I'm a bit lucky at horse racing. ■ Mr, McHugh: I suggest you have. j been pretty lucky at shoplifting. Barker: That's wrpng. | Mr. McHugh: You have accumulated much property and money latelyl Barker: Oh, no! Mr, McHugh: How mu&h money "did j Detective Gillam flnd under the bed in. your bedroom when he searched the house? : Barker; I don't know. ; Mr. McHugh: There was £219. ' Barker: I believe there was. Mr. McHugh: Your wife earns £2 per week in a restaurant. Barker; Yes. • Mr, McHugh: And do you work? Barker: No; I haven't worked for a long time. I am on sustenance. Mr. MeHugh; H'ow long since you last worked! Barker: A considerable time. McHugh: How much have you be'jn getting as sustenance! Barker: £2 3s. Mr. McHugh; You alpo draw money from the Returned Soldiere' Associa■tion, don't you! Barker: Qnly small sums. Mr. McHugh: Do you think you are entitled to sustenance when orer £200 'is found in your house and your wife is working! By the way, have you deelared you have this money and that your wife works when you sign your application form to reoeive sustenance! 1 Barker; No. ! Mr. McHugh; What name do you sign in those deplarutions to xeceive snsten'ance! Barker: I have given my name as (Sydney, but. it is Stanley. Mr. McHugh: That is what you gave to the police! Barker: Yes, , Mr. McHugh: And what name do you put your wife down w! Barker: As Mary. Mr. McHugh: So you signed false declarations. Then, you will probably hear more about it. Her pame is Mae Isobel! Barker: That is what she is now pharged under. Mr. McHugh; Do you ask the Court; to believe you in preference to the other witnepses! At the conclusion of the evidence,, after the Magistrate had.agreefto eon-i viet accused on six churg§p, My, Mppdy said neither of the ftceuped had bpen • in trpuble before. Mr. Wyvern Wil«pu j said he was quite ceavinced that both. I accused had been Jargely Rup^lempnting i their kcpme by shoplifting jand ^gt the [ male accqged w^s a profeg.sipnal sfeoplifter. Mrg. Barker Wfs sept§aced to 14 days' imprisonment and her husbapd to opp month's dmpnspnipent pn the minor charges gpd tbree ppnthg' pp. the major charges, the sentencep. ha )£» eopciirrent,