Brothers Converted 45 Cars

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 62, 6 December 1937, Page 7

Brothers Converted 45 Cars

-Press Association.)

IMPULSE BLAMED Ran Them Into One Another or Over Banks WELLINGTON CRIMES

(Bv Telenraoh-

WELLINGTON, This Day. An "irresistible impulse" was advanced as the reasons for the con•version of a large number of cars Dy two youths who appeared in the Police Court to-day. Arthur Henry Norria, 'storeman, aged 19, and Leslie Archie Norris, storeman, aged 17, faced 45 different charges of car-con-version. The offences took piace between July 16 and November 27. The accused pleaded guilty to all charges. ' Detective-Sergeant^ Doyle said that the accused had been in the habit or running cars into one another. A number had headlamps and other accessories smashed, and the axleo of others had been bent. The value of the cars mentioned in the charges was £8641, and the damage to them amounted to £476. Property to the value of £43 was missing from the cars. "The damage was done by runnuig one car into another or running them down banks, some of them striking trees," said the detective-sergeant. "It sems beyond comprehension why they were not deteeted earlier. All the cars were converted between 8 and 10.30 p.m., and in 90 per cent. of these cases the vehicles had been abandoned before the owners discovered their loss. By the time the matter was Teported to the police the offenders were home in bed." When the accused appeared previously before the Court it had been represented that they had taken 100 cars, but they were charged with 45 offences only. "All that I "can say in their favour is that they have been the essence of frankness said the Detective-Ser-geant, ' ' The youngest boy no doubt has been led into these matters by the influence of his older brother. ' ' Counsel for the accused said that the elder brother had been the victim of some irresistible impulse. The was the impression he (counsel) _ had gathered. There w:as some basis to this impulse, which at the moment was beyond the comprehension of the ordinary layman. But for the leaderShip of Eis brother the younger boy would not be standing in the dock, The Magistrate said that he would impose sentence this afternoon.