BICYCLE APPROPRIATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2817, 11 March 1908, Page 52

BICYCLE APPROPRIATION.

AN IMPUDENT THIEF. (Fj»ou Oub Own Corrispoxdknt.) . OHRISTCHURCH, March 6. The Police Court somewhat resembled a second hand bicycle shop this morning, the deteotives having in evidence a collection of no less than eight machines in connection with a series of thefts by a young man named Arthur Duffy. A suit of clothes was also produced. The first witness — Charles Ball, cycle dealer— stated that on January 13 accused came to his shop and said he wanted to buy a motor cyole. Accused remarked that he would like to have a trial before purchasing the machine. He got on the machine and rode away, and did not come beck. The bicyole produced was the one accused had taken. Its value was £25. Further evidenoe showed that the modus operand i with regard to the theft of the second motor bicycle was the same as that connected with the first, whilt in the case of the Ordinary bioyoles aopuwd seemed to have appropriated any machine whioh had been tempofco-rily left by its owner. Most of the bicycles were then ridden into the country by the accused, who sold them to unsuspecting farm labourers and others for mere songs, saying he was representing a bioycle firm in town. The manner in which accused obtained possession of the sujb of clothes as particularly impudent. While oyoling down a country road Tie had seen a young man carrying a bundle. He offered to carry it for the pedestrian, who handed hlin the parcel, which contained the new suit of clothes in question. He then rode off with . th« bundle, and when the rightful owner saw the olotha* in court this morning they displayed slgne of heavy wear. Evidence was given by the variou* owners of the bioyoles, who identified the machines, and then later trundled them out of court, and went on their way rejolejtyr at having come into their own again. Throughout the whole proceedings accused did not ask .a single question of any of the witnesses. Neither did he manifest any great interest in the evidence. He (pleaded guilty to all the counts, and wat committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.