THEFT OF SILVER

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 564, 22 June 1933, Page 5

THEFT OF SILVER

(Press Assn.—

HIDDEN IN SCRUB TAXI DRIVER CHARGED AS SEQUEL, TG WANGANUI INCIDENT 'LARGE SUM INYOLYED

-By Telegraph— Copyri e ht\

Wanganui, 'Wednesday . John Ralph Penney was charged in the Court -this morning with the theft of silver valued at £813, at Wanganui, the property of William Toomey, of Auckland. Toomey gave eyidence that he engaged Penney to drive him with the silver from Auckland to Wellington on the evenihgt of June 3. Near Te Kuiti Penney stopped the car and entered some bush on the roadside arid was away 20 minutes. During that interval witness noticed the lights of another car pull up in the. rear. When he Iqoked again the car was not there. At day light the next morning, on the way to New Plymouth, a taxd-car pa?sed him., William Tew, motor mechanic, Auckland, stated that Penney asked him to accompany hiin to Wanganui to see a man on u.rgent business. On the run through Penney said he was not 'goirig to see a.inan hut to lo'ok for the stolen silver. He suggested that if . they found it they could put it in the upholstery of the car. Witness detailed now Penney searched on the roadside near Pukiremu Road without. success, then went nearer to 'Wanganui and turned, with the intention.of proceeding to Auckland. On the way they were overtaken by Detectiye Murray. Detective Walsh stated that when Penney was arrested he denied all knowledge of the ignition key found in the taxi when the .car was recovered on Brassey Road. . While .the police were searching for the silver Penney and Tew came on the scene and the former v/a,s arrested. After hearing accused's statement and the evidence of two detectives who discovered the silver, the accused was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.