AN IMPUDENT THIEF.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2134, 24 January 1880, Page 3

AN IMPUDENT THIEF.

One of the, coolest proceedings we have lately heard? of .on. the,part of a thief chine' to 1 light this morning at.the K.M. GdnrtJ'duritig the hearing of the case agiimstu Riley and for robberyc, from The person. As will bd perceived, from our ,police report, there were hyp .charges .against this pair of scaiups, pnb'ehargc against Riley alone—that of ; riibbing' a'rhaii named Smith of £6. prosecutor seems to have inet the accused;find.after drinking-with him' for some time the pair went,opt for walk. Having.managed to possess,himself of Smith’s 5 packet * book ‘containing the cash, tbethiof’s next anxiety was what to do with/tbe legitimate owner of the property; . .Heiaccordingly lit upon a somewhat, novel, expedient. As, they were passing. The police, station, Riley informdfi 1 Smith'that that building was the post ’' bffice, and that it might bo 'as well for him to look in and.eget his;'English Tetters and newspapers. Smith, who was so drunk that he didn’t .know,what he was about, immediately complied and on entering found himself in the. arms of tin; officer in charge who informed him in reply to his question, that it was hot a post bffice, and then accommodated him; with free Quarters for.the night. Meanwhile Mr tiley (who probably didn’t expect any letters)-walked 1 off 1 at' a rather sharp trot, and promptly invested’a portion of Smith’s money in a drink.