MAN AND WOMAN CONVICTED.

Putaruru Press, Volume VIII, Issue 359, 9 October 1930, Page 1

MAN AND WOMAN CONVICTED.

A MEAN THEFT. Incident on Titan Road. The story of a mean theft was unfolded in the Putaruru Police Court last week before Messrs. T. F. Snell and H. J. W. Scott, J.’s P., when Frederick Edward Burnell, alias Jones, and Eileen Duncan were jointly charged with the theft of a suit case and contents of the value of £4 10s. The accused pleaded guilty. Constable Murphy stated that the owner of the suit case, Mr. Miller Smith, was walking along the TirauRotorua road carrying the suit case when the defendants, who were in a gig, offered him a lift. Smith accepted the offer and told the driver of the gig that he was looking-for a certain farmer. After a while the party arrived at what Smith believed to be the place he was searching for, and as the house was some distance back from the road he left the case near the gate. After proceeding a little way he saw the male accused get out of the gig and take the case into the vehicle and drive off. The owner gave chase, but failed to make the runaways stop. He hailed a passing car and set off in pursuit. When the accused w-ere caught there was no sign of the case. On returning Smith found the case near the side of the road with the contents strewn about. He communicated with the police and Constable Murphy set off in a car after the culprits. They were caught on the Horahora-Cambridge road and were arrested. When asked if he had anything to say, Burnell stated that he did not remember anything as he was muddled with drink. Burnell was convicted and fined £2 and ordered to pay £2 17s 6d expenses. He was given one month in which to pay. Default was fixed at six months’ imprisonment. Duncan was convicted and fined 20s.