PAYROLL THEFT

Hokitika Guardian, 4 March 1930, Page 3

PAYROLL THEFT

MAN CONFESSES. (By Telegraph—Per Press Association.> INVERCARGILL; March 3. A sensational development in the case of the dramatic robbery at Longwood, which occurred a fortnight ago, when a bag containing the pay roil for the employees of Moore’s sawmill, amounting to over £4OO, was, stolen from a locomotive, was that Timothy Edward Cosgrove, aged 47 years, in the Riyerton Police Court to-day, admitted responsibility for the theft, and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. Cosgrave was arrested at the Round Hill Hotel two days alfter the robbery, end was remanded twice in Invercargill on a change of being an idle and disorderly person. Cosgrave also pleaded guilty to a charge of theft from a store at Pallia last December. It was stated by the police that the accused had volunteered to make his statement in order to clear up the whole matter. In this statement, the accused said that on the day of the Longwohd robbery, he had been lying in the grass near a gravel pit (where the train stopned,) as he had an idea that the pay hag would be on the train. While the backs of the driver and the fireman wore turned, he crept up to the engine, and looked round, hut he saw nothing, and lie crept away again. UateF, remembering that he saw an old hag hanging inside the cab, he returned surreptiously, and finding the bag locked lie removed it. Back at Die camp lie cut the hag open. It was stated bv the police .that all of tfte money had been recovered, except £47. P.nnrls in hand which the accused hn<J bought reduced the shortage to £3l.