BUYING OF GOLD

Hokitika Guardian, 12 July 1932, Page 8

BUYING OF GOLD

NECESSITY FOR REGULATIONS

TO MITIGATE AGAINST THEFTS

CHRISCHURCH, July 11

That some regulations were required to cover the 1 purchase of articles ,y the gold-buyers, was the opinion expressed in the Children’s Court this norning. It was also contended there should be some time limit which buyers should have, to retain jenctlery ->efore melting,' it, as on several occasions stolen articles had disappeared in the crucibles.

The cahe before the Court concerns i.i boy found guilty of '■ 'stealing jewellery valued. at £5, which lie sold to gold buyers for-£2 15s. ‘'The’ 'Magistrate,'- Mr Young, said .hat representation should be made bj ire police to' their’ headquarters on the subject. >“ ’ ’’ .sonior-Sergeant J. Fox said that here were other cases that had not wen before the'-. Court. 1 ? 1 ' '/.

.“Mother says I stole a list,” said the boy when the articles of jewellery .vere enumerated. “She often puts filings away and forgets about them—•he says they’re blissing, but later rinds them. I took a gold watch, a wedding ring, • and, a silver-teaspoon.”

■Detective J. Thompson said that the boy’s mother: left home one day after 'ocking the house, and when she returned later, she discovered that the jewellery was missing. The boy had returned from work early, stolen the watch and ring and sold them to a gold buyer. When the .buyer was seen, he pridheed two other articles that he'said had been brought at the same time; ■ , ' .

'The f,lse- pretences charge arose when the '‘boy-"was sent by his firm to the National Blink with cheque-book. He returned the book, but kept three blank slips.’ l Fitting ip one for 15s and r igning it with a fictitious name,"he presented it’ at a small shop and bought 2s worth of chocolates and was given the rest of the cheque'in 'money. ~, The jeweller bad given him-£2 11s for his mother’s jewellery, and the gold casing had beep taken off The watch and the -wedding ring- melted 'down. When interviewed the boy strenuously a denied the theft and had altogether been very untruthful. Detective Thompson : The boy ig- over 16, and working, and a jeweller can buy gold at any time; but' there is-somy s ggestion of making a regulation.

.Sentor-Serrennt Fox: Some provision will have to be made, because the po itirn i s becoming serious. • Th e Magistrate: ; This is the secprid time we have been unable to recover the cools because they’re befen melted down. : A girl was before the Court who sold a' £l4 watch to a jeweller and it was put through the crucible before we could re'over it. ' i Serior-Sergeant Fox: There are other cases that’ have not reached the Court. 1 . ; ;