END OF A JOY RIDE.

Shannon News, 7 January 1927, Page 3

END OF A JOY RIDE.

CAR GOES OVER BANK. SEQUEL IN THE COURT. A remarkable story of a car thief’s jaunt through part of the North Island in his purloined vehicle was told in the Magistrate's Court at Wellington yesterday, when Harold Joseph Whittle, alias Tobin, a motor mechanic, aged 25, appeared before Mr W. G. Riddell, S.M., to answer charges of theft of a motorcar, valued at £265, the property of A Hatrick and Company, Lid., Wellington: theft of a rug, valued at £3, the property of Roland Judd, at Tokomaru; theft of an overcoat, attache case ami contents, valued at £9 11s 6d, the property of John Albert Wilkinson, of Shannon, at Tokomaru; and theft of goods, valued at £4O, from the shop of William John- Fiancis and Company, of Haleombe.

In his statement to the police accused said that he came from Auek land to Wellington to look for employment. He stole the car on December 14 last. It was parked in Mercer street, and the key was in the car. He jumped in and set off with the intention of getting home to Auckland. He drove to Tokomaru, and from another car there he took a number plate, wh-ch he exchanged with that on the one he was driving. He also took a rug, a lunch box, and an . overcoat. Thence he drove to Palmerston North. He slept at night in the back of the car, and in the morning left for Pahiatua. He managed to obtain a tin of tenzinc from a man there, and got another one from a farmer between Pahiatua and Woodville. He drove two passengers to Shannon and back, and then proceeded to Feilding. At Haleombe he entered the store by one of the windows and took two suit cases full of phonograph records. By representing that he was driving for Wright, Stephenson and Co he obtained another supply of benzine at C.olyton, and then he took a trip to Hamilton, taking two passengers with him. On his. way back the car refused to answer the i\'heel going round a bend, and it went over the bank, somersaulting three times, and landing right side up. Accused’s joy-ride was ended, and he was arrested by the Cambridge police on December 23. . After the police evidence had been given, accused pleaded guilty on the first charge, and was committed to the Supreme Court lor sentence. On the two charges of theft at Tokomaru lie also pleaded guilty. There was a fairly lengthy list of previous convictions against him. “You seem to have very little sense of respect for other people’s property,” said Mr Riddell, who sentenced accused to three months’ imprisonment on each charge, the sentences to be concurrent. On iuo mst charge lit: was remanded to appear at leilding on January 12.