THEFT CHARGES

Hokitika Guardian, 18 July 1932, Page 4

THEFT CHARGES

PLEA OF GUILTY. - • , ; ; (! :> f •• • I ■, COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. At the Magistrate’s Court this morning before Messrs W- E. Richards ard A. E. Benjamin, justices, . the Poliea charged Roger David -Williams and Thomas Alex Jones with breaking and entering the ; premises of Lawreno3 -yGooch of Sale.sti;eet and stealing tuerey.'‘c L. from a quantity of cigarettes } tobacco! and boots valued at £2O. Inspector Lopde.l appeared for-the . ; I j . prosecut on. Mr Murdoch for the 1 ac».. cased Williams, while Jones un- . defended. • - \ .Evidelioe was led was follows : (■ .’ Lawrence Goooh gave evidence that • 4 lie was a storekeeper in business at , the corner of Sale and Stafford Streets. • He does not reside on the premises On 28th. May left the shop at 9 p.m. ' ' having secured the doors and , windows. . 1 At 11 a.m. next- day went there and r found a door entering, on to Sale Street had been partly \y_renched :: off ,/v ■ , and the premises entered. Found u articles missing including a quantity. • I v of t ns of tobacco, packets of -cigarettes and 6 pairs of boots. Ob9th. July \ examined a quantity of goods in possession of the police, j now produced, J-JI \ which he identified as his property, - . Positively identify .th* boots whioh ' : ' were marked in hie own hand writing, but the, tohnooo , W 0» S rnilnr', .to 4,bt).t - lost, and Had no distinctive mark*. No person had a,-uthdrity entAr. hi«, { v , shop. The goods missing ’’ he valued V .at £32 5s 4dl Valued the goods re»; covered at £5, all' Being somewhat : 'damaged. , Charles John King, Sergeant rif Police. v gave evidence .that, on 29th» May he Was Called W Gooch’s store,. • 'about 11 a.m.* Found'a : door leading : • • into Sale Street had been wrenched .. off its hinges land there, were indica- ; i tions of some persons having-ente-r°d the promises. Tlie condition of -the 'door wouCd give access. Gooch , was , , pre'ent and after inspretinn reported. ~ on a quantity of goods being missing: . ~ On Bth. July •;recovered a-, pair • of: boots on the road in Sale Street. On :. - ' ,9th. July with Constable Dougherty executed a search warrant, at. the premises of Thomas, Williains, father of, .:. • ; one of the accused. Found part- of . - the' stolen property in a room occupied ; by the accused Williams, who, was not • ; present. They searched the premir-ea of William Jones, father of thj? ; other. > accused, where he found other articles .p.,;,; >"V of 'the -sto’en property in a. room oc- • n'V. cupied by a brother of accused. The accused Jones was not, present. :The two accused at the. time were at the . V y.. . Styx Gorge. ■Qn the same day went . to the Gorge arid saw the two ae-,, cused, ivho were camping there., Quesr, .• ; • tioned them-, arid rrceived evasive : ' ” answers. Accused them of breaki.ng ' , ' into'Gooch’s store. Jones :,was wearing 1 a pair of new boots, There ,wers. -, < ; . .- empty tobacco and' cigarette tins corresponding with. the deicripl tion of the "''stollen prqjierty, ' Jones produced a tin of No. 10 tobaeco and a packet oL cigarette papers, Brought the men'back to Hokitika arid. . - charged them with the offence. On the 10th Williams made (a statement, which 4 : was an evasive one, but on the ilth he made a ; full confession (produced) of having entered the premises with Jones and having taken the goods. On the 11th, Jones made-a statement- acknowledging the charge, and that only Williams arid himself :weVe. involved. Williams had made .his confession prior to appearing before tne 1 Court, and Jones after being remanded. ■ ; A'v;/.-

To. Mr Murdoch : Was sure that ' Williams’ father had something to do with his son making, tire ‘statement, .; The finding of the article's on ; the father's premises has no sigriificance agaihsfc Mr Williams Senr., Jones is 22 years n’d and Williams 20 years. Jones lives 100 yards away from the 'shop; Williams has been before the Court twice, for being on licensed premises and was convicted, s By his action Williams proved he was a boy of unstable mind ' and easily led. > ; ' This completed the evidence. The-ac-cused pleaded guilty and were commit, ted for sentence to the Supreme Court at Greymouth on September 7th. Bail was allowed and was forthconung;" ah* cused each in £6O, and two sureties ot £25 each. , . ,