SHOPLIFTING CHARGE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 5036, 6 October 1926, Page 2

SHOPLIFTING CHARGE.

CASE AT PAEROA. A FINE OF £2 IMPOSED. At the Paeroa Police Court on Monday, before Mr J. W. Poynton, S.M. Minnie Stewart Cawkwell, Netherton, was charged with the theft on September 25 of a bottle of lavender water, valued at 2s lid, from the Economic, Pa,eroa. Mr C. N. O’Neill, who appear for defendant, pleaded not guilty. Phylis Fulton, employed at the Economic, said that she knew accused by sight and had attended to her purchases on the day in question. She had served accused with a cake of soap, being tendered 2s 6d in payment, and the change had been handed to defendant. She next saw defendant take the lavender water, and defendant later .asked to see some books. Accused then said she did not want the soap, and she walked out of the shop with the lavender water, for which she had not paid.

To Mr O’Neill witness) said that there were several other people in the shop at the time. Accused had also purchased some ■■ tape before she bought the soap. The scent was taken Off a high shelf in the shop.

In answer to the Police witness, said that accused had since revisited the shop a,nd had told witness, that if she had seen her take the scent she should have asked for payment. She knew that accused was slightly deaf. Constable- McClinchy said that on the day of the information he met accused, and when he taxed her with the offence she Opened her bag and produced the scent and said in explanation that she had received more change than she should have. Mr O’Neill said that there was no denial that the-scent was taken, but there was no intention of stealing it. The s,hop assistant was engaged in serving other people at the time. Being ha,rd of hearing, accused thought that the assistant said the scent was sixpence, which .amount she put down on the counter. When in another shop accused found that sihe had more change than she should have had, considering the purchases made at the Economic. She was trying to buy a picture-frame, and was trying to get a more suitable one than the one she had seen at the Economic. If unsuccessful she intended to go back to the Economic and purchase the frame, shown her. The last witness, was td be commended for the interest taken in protecting her employers, but she. was a young woman a,nd had rather jumped to conclusions. The accused was of good character, and he as'.ked that the case should be struck out. Accused stated that she did not ste.al the scent wilfully, but she admitted that she should have gone back to the shop and paid for it. In fact she did go ba.ck, but the shOp was full of people and, feeing the position she was in, she did not go in then. The Magistrate said that it appeared to be 'a cas.e of shop-lifting, but it was a small matter.

A conviction was. entered, and accused was fined £2, 'and costs 10s.