CAUGHT IN THE ACT

Hokitika Guardian, 4 March 1930, Page 3

CAUGHT IN THE ACT

CAPTURE OF THIEF;

ißy Telegraph—Press Association).

WELLINGTON, March 3.

Having been caught in a house at Wadestown by a watcher who waited all night for his expected coming, Alfred Joseph Osborne, aged 39, appeared before Mr E. Page, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court on charges of breaking and entering and theft and breaking and entering with intent to steal. Keith Beaglehole said he discovered that his house at 137 Barnard Street Wadestown, had been broken into on February 13, and a wristlet watch, a string of pearls, and several gramophone records stolen. The house had been empty for a time, and alt" the doors and windows had been left locked. Entrance had been gained through a fanlight, and lifting the catch of a casement window.

John Cawte Beaglehole, a Workers’ Educational Association lecturer, of Otago, said that on his brothers rc r quest be .stayed in thq house OU; tjiOi night of. February 13;, /At ‘abejut 1 TO.;U" next mbmiing-I- heard’a someone*was working at', a/window/’ witness; sajjL >.! 1 ' I ; -kept Jqjii.eJ Iq. give tfief- man; / ; a, chance, toy get :.iilricl<i/1 heard; .him squeeze/through/ ' the wih.dpw; and. then ibe landed op .The;/flbpr' ; nfid ;• walked • | through t the ; ?fqpm ; ’ apd down the passage. I came out of the bathroom, wtere I was. concealed, and grabbed him by the arm. When T asked him what he was doing there lie said lie understood the people from the house were away for a fortnight, and on hearing a window banging in the wind he had entered the house to investigate.” Witness added that accused answered other questions quite frankly giving his name and address. He denied having stolen tho articles ■vhieh had disappeared the previous day. Detective Kane said he interviewed accessed at Roseneath some days later but he flatly denied having anytiiTfig to do with the thefts. On going to accused’s house at 66 Elizabeth Street, some of the records were found.: He made a statement in which he said that on February 13, he was cutting grass near Air Beaglehole’s house in Barnard Sreet when a man came from No. 137 and spoke tp him. I;le secured accussed’s name- ‘ And! 'address on the pretence of finding more work for him. However, witness said, accused was arrested and locked up. Next day. accused said that if given a chance he would -'recover the goods He took witness to a vacant section at Maid a Vale Road Roseneath, and from beneath some bushes he recovered the watch. He then led the way to a house ,bv W'nitoa Road/ Fgtaitai, and from this place several -more ‘records - were recovered. •On accused’s direction his wife went, to their home and returned with the string of p&arls. Accused then admitted having Stolen the articles, and he said that he. was tlie man whom Mr Beaglehole had captured in the Barnard Street house. Accused Pleaded guilty and was committed to the Supreme Court fo* sentence'. Pail was refused.