BREAKING & ENTRY

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 52, Issue 3279, 23 June 1943, Page 5

BREAKING & ENTRY

ROBBERIES AT THAMES DESERTER FROM CAMP COMMITTED FOR SENTENCE Appearing before Messrs R. M. Rhodes and B. D. S. Chapman, Justices of the Peace, at the Thames Police Court on Friday last, on two charges of bi’eaking and entry and theft, James Fairlie, aged 28 years, was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.

Sergeant W. Ferguson, prosecuting, stated that the accused was an Army deserter. He had gone to Fiji with New Zealand troops in 1941 and had returned to the Dominion in 1942. After being in camp at Pukekohe and Te Aroha he had deserted from the latter camp on December 24, and travelled to Thames, passing through Katikati, Waihi, Tairua, Coroglen and Tararu. He arrive in the town at 11 p.m. on Saturday, May 29. Between 2 and 3 a.m. on Sunday he entered the shop of Messrs Coakley and C 0.,, Pollen street, by foicing a window on the south side of the shop. He took groceries valued at £5 2s 6d and left by the front door. Fairlie then took the groceries out to Rhodes Park and hid them in toitoi bushes. He stayed at the park until Monday, when he forced the lock on, and entered, a small stall adjoining the grandstand. He took goods valued at £2 Bs, the property of A. A. Antonovich. That night he came into Thames, took, a jigger from the railway station and took the goods out to Kopu, hiding them later in the ti-tree on Nichol’s farm. He brought the jigger back to Thames. Evidence showed that Fairlie had given the police every assistance and had showed them where the stolen goods were hidden. He had admitted the theft. Fairlie pleaded guilty to both charges and was committed to the ■Supreme Court for sentence. Sergeant Ferguson stated that, on passing through Whakatete T ’' 15r . feed sed had broken a padlock ar. vndow on two sheds, thereby .xsir.g mischief. He had also stolo eight gramophone records from the faiaiu School and a gramophone from the Thames High School. “In view of the circumstances,” said. Mr Rhodes, “the accused will be convicted and discharged on each of the charges.” In his statement Fairlie had stated that his mother had died when he was three years of age and that his father resided in the South Island. Constables W. Cook and A. Gray and Messrs C. Coakley and A. Antonovich also gave evidence.