A YOUTH IN TROUBLE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 5044, 27 October 1926, Page 2

A YOUTH IN TROUBLE.

THEFTS FROM A MOTOR-CAR;

SEQUEL TO A NETHERTON DANCE.

For some lime past in this district petty thieving from motor-cars while the owners have been .Nitending a dance or other entertaiument has become all too common. As the result of a complaint Constable McClincny arrested a young man, Ma,rk Carson, a labourer, Kerepeehi, at Netherton, on Friday evening.

On Satmday morning Carson appeared before Messrs F. E. Fuatt and n. J. Hare, J’s.P., at the Paea-oa Police Court on a change of the theft of an electric .torch and a bottle of beer from a motor car, the property of Mr R. B. Dunlop. He pleaded guilty, and elected to be dealt with summarily. Constable McClinchy stated .that tire complainajrt had left hisi car on the roadside while attending a dance at Netherton on Tuesday, October 12. There had been numerous complaints, of petty thieving reported, but the offenders had been difficult to detect. In order to check the thieving he asked that a substantial penalty should be inflicted. The accused, who ha,d the torch in his possession when arrested, had made a practice of attending most of the dances in the district, and his actions had been viewed with suspicion for some time past. In reply to the Bench accused expressed sorrow for his act, which had been a foolish one, because he did not want the torch. He had been, drinking during the evening df .the dance and could not account for his acts. The Bench s'aid that the practice of thieving from cars was, unfortunately, becoming too common. While reluctant to send a young man to gaol, the accused would have to be. made an example of. He would be convicted and fined £5, and ordered to pay £3 6s 9d costs, in default one month’s imprisonment. The Bench said that in giving accused a chance to go straight in the future, it weiuld be in his own interests to take a prohibition order o't against himself.