YOUTHFUL BURGLARS

Hokitika Guardian, 21 February 1930, Page 7

YOUTHFUL BURGLARS

FOUR PLEAD GUILTY

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, February 19

One night recently, the premises ol George and George, Newton, were entered. A hole was cut in the floor with brace and hit and hacksaw, and goods valued at £63 13s taken. To-day, Henry C won no, If), Cedric Maitland Gay, 19, Ernest Charles Smith. 18, Patrick James Michael Hcffron, 18; and Albert John Higgs, 18, were charged, and after evidence was given by the polieo all pleaded guiity, except Hcffron, who, according to the story of JUggs, who appeared to Ikj the leading spirit, was present and held the torch while the hole was made, but did not actually enter the building, saving it was too risky. Higgs went in, and the three others, he said, followed later, all taking awav bundles.

Smith and Gay were further jointly charged with breaking and entering the shop of John Castle, and stealing goods valued at £9 2s; breaking and entering the warehouse of Murray and Forbes, and stealing goods valued at 15s.

Gay was separately charged with breaking and entering Wrigley and Kemp’s, and stealing a ruler and fountain pen value at 15s. The four who pleaded guilty were committed for sentence, and Heffron for trial. In view of the plea of not guilty on some of the other charges, the Magistrate agreed that accused could all be adequately dealt with on the major charges and the country saved Ihe expense of a trial.

Herbert Irvine Owens, arrested the other day, while committing a third burglary in the same shop at Knrori, to-day pleaded guilty to a number of charges, including theft at a private residence and was committed for sentence. In a statement to the police lie said he had been out of work since September, 1929.