BOY CRIMINAL

Hokitika Guardian, 8 March 1928, Page 2

BOY CRIMINAL

REMARKABLE EXPLOITS. (By Telegraph—Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON. March 7. Not yet fifteen years of age. a boy appeared before Mr J. H. Salmon, S.M., in the Lower Hutt, Magistrate’s Court to day. to answer a series of charges .which ’winded fight of breaking and entering and theft, two of wilful damage, and one of false pretences. The Magistrate said That in view of I lie anxiety caused in the district through (lie actions of the Imy, he would give to the Press representatives special permission to publish the facts. Sergeant Reid said that the accused admitted entering eight houses and stealing articles from them. He had ransacked most of the houses, and in three of them, uncoupled the wireless ■ equipment. In one. of the houses lie found a tin of sardines and a tin of pineapple, the contents of l>oth weie eaten and he cut and destroyed a new shoe which was found several days later. He picked some peas in a garden and sold them at 2d per lb. At another house lie stole £4 and having found a frying pan in a cupboard fried some eggs on the gas stove and consumed them on the couch in the front room. lie then opened a tin of pineapple, ate half of it. and plastered the rest on. the bricks of the fireplace. To cap everything he wrote a most indecent letter concerning the owner’s wife. Later on. he conceived the idea of collecting money on a bogus subscription list from the AnclF.n Bovs’ Building Fund. Other ( houses wore visited on subsequent dates and were thoroughly ransacked, and in each case be was searching tor inouev. Most of the money was spent „„ sweets, at the pictures and at the Wellington Zoo. _ Referring to the letter, which was si cued “The 'Mystery Man” underneath which was a drawing of two crossed pistols, the S.M. remarked that ii Fak'd like the result of going to

the pictures Mr Bullivant. Child Welfare Officer, stat‘*d that he had been to the accused's home, and could oiler no excuse for his conduct. H'.s parents said that he did not road much and hardly ever went to the pictures. Observing that the accused was too young for the Borstal Institute the S.M. ordered him to he sent to \\eiaroa.