Stolen Tobacco

NZ Truth, Issue 1146, 17 November 1927, Page 7

Stolen Tobacco

WHEN Sidney Adams and Edward *" Johnson broke into the premises of a tobacconist m Wellington recently, by taking a back door off its hinges, they omitted one allimportant factor — finger-prints. They left a fine sample of their "visiting cards" on the door. The goods stolen — a quantity of cigarettes and tobacco — were not recovered. Recently Adams and Johnson were tried before a jury and convicted of breaking and entering and theft. Their fingerprints gave them away. Last week they both appeared before Mr. Justice MacGregor for sentence, when Lawyer Leicester appeared on their behalf. He attributed their downfall to idleness and drink, but he doubted very much if the value of the stock taken was actually as much as that stated. If his honor could not see his way to grant probation, counsel suggested that a short, sharp term of imprisonment would meet the case. The judge remarked that prisoners had violently broken into the shop and presumably stolen with the object of selling the goods. The crime of breaking and entering was becoming far too common and must be stopped. He sentenced both accused to imprisonment with hard labor for two years.