SERIES OF BURGLARIES

Hokitika Guardian, 21 March 1931, Page 3

SERIES OF BURGLARIES

YOUNG MEN CHARGED. COMMITTED TO SUPREME CCURT. (Otago Daily Times Report). Further evidence in connection with the case in which two young men, named Leslie ’William Gibbons and Basil Charles Gibbons, appeared on six charges of breaking, entering, and theft, was heard in the City Police Court on Monday afternoon before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M. Mr White appeared for the two accused. The charges were:—That on January 29 they did break, and enter by night the premises of James Alexander Galbraith and steal therefrom a safe, containing £2O 12s 6d in cash, and books and papers, the total value being £39 15s (ki; that on February 17 they dm steal two suitcases and a luit box, valued at £6O. the property of Jean Campbell; that on February 19 they did steal ail attache case and contents, valued at £2 12s (id, the property of William John Pritchard ; that on February 19 they did break and enter file counting house of Edward James Brewster, stealing a bit and stamps to the total value of 2s (id ; that on February 19 they did break and enter the shop of George Thompson, stealing a razor valued at 8s; that on February 19 they did attempt to break and enter the house of Raffaol Squarise with tlio intent to commit a crime. They were further charged with being idle and disorderly, in that they consorted with reputed thieves, and had insufficient lawful means of support. '

i When the case was resumed Mr White commenced his cross-examinat-ion of Leslie Robert Hewitt, who drove the accused round the town in a car on the evening on which most of the offences were alleged to have been committed, and who later went to the police and told a story concerning the night’s happenings. Questioned by Mr White*. Hewitt, stated that he was 23 years of age and had known the two accused for about 10 months. He had been a frequent visitor to their parents’ house during practically the whole of that time. The accused Leslie Gibbons had had a house in Fox Street since the beginning of January, and Basil Gibbons had been living with him lor about a month prior to his arrest Witness had been to their house only two or three times and had spoken to the two accused in the street on a sin* ilar number of occasions. Air White; But you were friendly with them , Witness: No, I was not. My friend ship was with their sister, not with them. Tt was not my practice to sec I them every night. | Mr White: How was it that you j saw them.on, two nights running before their arrest?

Witness explained that lie liaql niet them by chance at the corner of Princes and Rattray streets on Die first night, and on the second night they boarded his car whilst he was waiting behind a tram car at the Bank of New Zealand. He had taken the ear out for a trial run at 7.30 p.m. on the Thursday. He denied having secured n ear from the Gold Band Taxi depot or any other firm towards the end of January. When the two accused boarded bis car on the Thursday evening they went up to Tennyson and Smith streets. Witness became suspicious when he saw Leslie, Gibbons take a screw driver from Die seat of the car and turn up liis collar before lie left. The two accused were away for about 2f) minutes. Witness sat in flic car until they came back, as lie did not wish to have anything to do with the business? ~

Mr White: T waited to see what was going to happen. I thought they were going to see some people.

Mr White: With a screw driver! Why did you stay there? Witness: I was wondering myspll. Mr White: But yon were wanting to get away from the criminal business all through, wore you not? Witness: Yes.

Confining, witness stated that, uiien the aeon- d came back to the car he knew that there was “something doing,” and made up bis mind that be would got rid of them as soon as ho could. They left Smith street about p.m. and went to Leslie Gibbons’s house, where they had supper, and afterwards left for North-East Valley, •arriving there about 11.15 p.m. Later, witness drove the accused to Thompson's shop at Musselburgh Rise, where he dropped them at 12.15 a.in. He then drove round the block and came into town, afterwards going out to .St. Kilda. He first saw the police about 12.15 a.in. When they were at the petrol station at North-East Valley. lie waited 10 or 15 minutes whilst one of the accused was away. Mr White: Why did you wait? Were you afraid of Basil Gibbons? Witness: I was thinking of the loaded stick in the car. Basil Gibbons went only a few feet from the car and then returned. Whilst the two accused were breaking into Thompson's shop, witness continued he went round the block and drove past the shop again to whether the accused had been caugl t. He intended telling the police, as be did not wish to be mixed up with the business. He did not conskb'r himself to lie an accomplice in any sense of the word. Mr White: Alter leaving Thompson's shop why did you come to town? Witness: To tell 'lie police. Air White: And did you?

W incss; No. 1 lest my nerve ain't worn back to St Hilda. After another 'rio to town with some peop'e whom had picked up :.t zx. Kilda. wit-

ness proceeded, he ' went hack to i hompsoii's shop. 'I hat would be about throe-quarters of an hour after he ban first visited the finality. After lie had seen the police he went home alone. Mr White: I suppose you were worried over the affair? Witness; I was. Mr White; 1 suppose you realised that you might get into a nasty mess? Witness; f did. Mr While: Is that why you toil! this story to (lie* police? Witness: Yes. Mr White: Were you promised that you would not in* prosecut; d if you told this story? Witness: I was toll! to tell the truth. .Mr White: Wil 1 you swear that m> such promise was held out to you? Witness: I will. Mr White: Did you ask if you would he prosecuted? Witness: Why should I he prosecuted ? I had done nothing wrong. Mr White: Then why should you go

and tell this story to the police? Was it to get, yourself dear of this mess and incriminate the two accused? Witness: Yes. Mr White: That is what 1 have neeri wanting to find out. Re-examined by Chief DefectiveCameron, witness stated that he first realised that the accused were committing a crime when they came back t 0 the car at Smith street. It. was there that Leslie Gibbons made a threat towards him. Between that time and when they went to Thompson’s shop witness had no opportunity of leaving them, as Basil Gibbons was under Leslie’s Gibbons’s orders to watch witness, which he did. Witness had reason to lie at raid of the accused, as during last winter he had seen Basil Gibbous with a revolver. i ml during the- night in question lie saw one of the accused with a loaded stick. Immediately they left him tit Thompson’s shop he drove away. floury Louis Paterson, registcrc l surveyor and civil engineer, stati tl that In* lmd carefully examined the safe produced in court, and he had also examined a small piece ol stool produced, lie had examined an opening on the left side of the door opening of the safe. A straight cut at rig..- angles to the vertical bevelled edg<> was made, and a furl her cut. one-third of an inch away and parallel with the first, cut was made to a depth of one-twentieth of an inch. The

saw was then turned acutely towards the first cut to provide a grip for the saw. The direction was changed a second time, and eimtilined through to the first out, making a scarph which could he removed. The second cut was continued right through to the door, dee;) enough complete'v to sever the sheath at the edge of the door opening The chip of steel produced in court corresponded in minute detail with the searpli cut in tip. < dge of, the safe.

Jean, .Ferguson, a married woman, living at Wingatui, said that on Fob-

'. .ary 1 1 sue mil her ear outside tbe White Star gaiage in Stafford street about 1d.30 p.m. Slip left in the car two:suitcases and a hat box containing some of her clothing. The articles produced in court wore included amongst her possession. She returned about. 15 minutes after paiking the ear and found that the throe packages had been stolen. She made a complaint to the police that nigip ; n;T next, day she recovered part of her property at the Police Station. Sineo then she had also recovered a fur in a considerably damaged condition. She valued the whole of the property which was stolen at about LCO.

Detective Russell stated that on .January 30. -as the result of a complaint from Mr Galbraith, he went to his shop in King Edward street and found that it had !>e ,, n broken into, the shop door having been forced. On the floor behind the counter from where the safe had been removed lie found a pair of men’s leather gauntlet gloves. The same morning, in comj pany with Detective Turgis. lie sonrehj ed the top edge of the cliff at Lawyer’s Head. He saw .Mr luimond who was camping there, and the following day lie- received a communication from Mr La.niond, and went to Lawyer’s Head with other detectives, and on the edge of tlie cliff he recovered papers, which wore subsequently identified by the witness Galbraith. It. was nof possible for those papers to have been (here the day before. The same evening witness took possession of the safe door from Air Lamond, and the following day, at low tide, witness, in company with other police officers, recovered the safe (produced) from the sea. At 4 p.m. on the morning of February 20, witness, in company with Detectives Royrroft and Turgis, went to the house of the accused and brought them to the detective office. Witness told B'asil Gibbons that they had reason to believe that he had broken into tlie premises of George Thompson. Musselburgh Rise. The accused denied any knowledge of "the matter. AVitness then read Hewitt’s statement with regard to breaking into tbe shop, whereupon Basil Gibbons said he. would reply at the proper time. T/iter that morning witness accompanied Hewitt to the accused’s house. He found a razor a"d case (produced) in the long grass at ‘he b-'ck, and a Ho a parcel of hacks-w blades in an out-home in the back yard. To the bathroom witness found a Pair of gauntlet gloves in a suitcase amongst some old clothes. The same day he accompanied a Drainage Board employ to a sewer in Princess street south, where lie recovered a purse and a gold nen.cil. Later in a sewer in St. Kilda he found a fur necklet Cross-examined hv Mr White, witi>"ss said that the previous’ witness Fewirt h?d shown him where to find the articles in the sewers. .

Detective Gibson said that in -uriipany with the previous witness ' and Detective. Taylor he had stv’n'hed tin* accused’s bn so, whore lie bad found two chisels and a tin contairi *g in-

sulating tape. Under the linoleum in the kitchen wee thee louse floor boa ids. H<* raised the boards and found that Hr* earth underneath led been shovelled Ka k covering a space of several feet.. On ton of the e-rfli lie found the small chip of steel (produced). in the house he also fond a quantity of powder wrapped in *. ncwsu per (kited Thursday, January 22. 1931. The powder was submitted to the Government analyst, as was also some powd'-r which was found mthe safe door. He also found in the house several articles which had been identified bv Mrs Ferguson as her nronerty. On the kitchen mantelpiece lie I’oip’d a ha.cks**w blade. Under the floor in Urn- kitchen he found two qnn.r* Indoles of whi'-kv and a s ! ” , *ll liottb of wine. On flic kitchen shelf two wine glasses wore found. In the lied room lie fum'd m at taolu* case. The liquor glasses, and attache ease wore identified by tin* witness Pritchard as being bis

property. li\'t> Tureis said that; on .I;innary 20. :i( 10.55 n.m., lie saw the two licensed. Tliov hoarded a. Ah>rniegton tram together. That was the night on which Galbraith's shop wji s entered and the safe removed. On tlm night of Fehnmrv 10 ho received a call to Rat.trnv street and about 2 r ' minutes nest midnight he was standing at the Ascot corner. When he returned to the police station lie received a call to Mr Thompson’s shop •it Moss'dlnirgh Rise. In enmpanv with a nolice sergeant. he went t-- the shoo. The door had been forced with a jemmy and the show ease was open, goods being exposed. The witness Hewitt was standing no"r the (W. Witness took his name and the number of his car. and then continued his examiimtion of the shop. Hewitt the" drove away, hut in consequence of wit + he had told him witness followed Flow, itf in the noli'e ear afterwards h v birring him back to T , 'o | aso”b premise. At the shop witness searched Howi'l and fennd in his possession a new nai" of pliers. Witness, in company with Hewitt ami the other police ofT-cers ’■eturned to the detective office, where Hewitt gave, an account of his movements during the night. About ■I.AO

a,m. witness went to the acemed’s house, where he found an electric torch and a box of .22 t—lihre bullets. such as could he used in a revolver of that calibre. There was- no trace of a ride of that calibre in the home. Later, at the police station, witness was present when the st"lei»ent made by Hewitt W"s read over to Leslie Gibbons. Witness also read the statement to the accused Rasil Gibbons. On February 2d witness red to the accused the six charges preferred against them, and Leslie Gibbons said ‘ Is that allf” Basil Gibbons asked it they were to he charged jointly or somirately.

Tins complet.o(l the evidence. Mach <•!' 11 1 <■ accused pleaded not guilty to

all six clcrgcs and was committed to the Wunreine Court for trial.

The charge of hr ins idle and disorderly in tlnit. thev consorted with reputed thieves. and had insufficient Lawful menus of F.upjxrrt. was scljournod si no die.