EARLY MORNING CHASE.

Putaruru Press, Volume II, Issue 36, 19 June 1924, Page 3

EARLY MORNING CHASE.

YOUTH WITH STOLEN CAR. An Ignominious Ending. On Putaruru-Tirau Road. A somewhat exciting story of the capture of a culprit who had made away with a local service car was related to Messrs. R. Alcorn and J. Barr Brown, J.’sP., in the Putaruru Magistrate’s Court on Friday, when an 18-yea.r-old youth, ’Tutiri Joseph Collins, pleaded guilty to unlawfully converting a motor car to his own use and to stealing -two cases of benzine. The story, as related by Constable Murphy, was that on Thursday morning about 5 o’clock, when it was still dark and cold rain was falling j in a pitiless downpour, tie local motor service proprietor, Mr. S. C. Snell, heard a car leave his garage. He took it that one of his drivers had come on duty and was going round in the car to the boardinghouse To awaken the other, as they were due to start on a trip at daybreak. Mr. Snell himself thereupon also got up and prepared a morning cup of tea. However, the car Tiad not returned after some little time, so presuming that perhaps both drivers had gone to sleep again at the boardinghouse, the proprietor went thither. About 10 chains along the road he noticed a benzine tin, which lie found was half full of benzine. At the boardinghouse he certainly. found one driver there awakening* the other, but not the car. In fact, the first driver had just arrived and had not yet been to the garage. Promptly, then, the owner realised that the car must have been taken surreptitiously, anil he proceeded in great haste to the local police station. The constable and party were soon in another car on the track of the culprit, electric torches showing marks on the roadway indicating that he had gone Tirau way. Despite rain, darkness and the wet state of the road the pursuing party travelled fast, but they had not far to go, for about 2 h miles along the road was a very muddy length, and as daylight was dawning here they found the missing car near another that had also become stuck overnight when returning to Putaruru. The accused was -huddled up under a military overcoat on the front seat of the car he had taken, apparently asleep. He was promptly taken in custody and the party returned to Putaruru about 6.30 a.m. Of two cases of benzine that were in the car one was missing.

About a mile from the town, on the cemetery hill, the party also noticed! an abandoned motor cycle, belonging to Mr. W. Hayes, of the Putaruru railway staff, which they found had also been spirited away overnight but had apparently got out of control and run over the bank. Accused denied that he had taken this before taking the car. Constable Murphy added that accused was under the control of the Levin industrial institution, from which he haJd been sent out on license. He had formerly worked in the motor trade at Putaruru but had later taken employment with an Otorohanga farmer. He made his way from Otorohanga to Arapuni and on Wednesday morning of last week walked into Putaruru ami caught the first train to Tirau, where he remained all day. He walked back to Putaruru about 8 o’clock that evening* and took the car in the early hours of the following morning. The car had sustained certain damage, including a broken spring.

In view of accused’s youth the justices decided to give him another chance by fining him only, the amount being £5, plus costs £5 4s, including the damages to the car.