“MISCHIEVOUS GANG”

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 217, 2 December 1927, Page 1

“MISCHIEVOUS GANG”

CAR CONVERSION EXPERTS YOUTHFUL SEXTETTE IN DOCK (Special to THE SUN.) DUNEDIN, Thursday. The operations of six youths who, according to the police, might be termed the “Chevrolet Gang/’ have been brought to an abrupt conclusion. The sextette stood in the dock at the Police Court to-day to answer numerous charges of car conversion as well as breaking and entering and theft. They were Allan Reuben Barnett, aged 21; Alexander Hodges, aged 17; William Henry Martin, aged 20; Frederick Thomas West, aged 19; John McGregor Wilson, aged 18; and a youth under 17 years of age. Barnet and Hodges were jointly charged with breaking and entering the dwelling of George McKnight, Company’s Bav, and stealing goods valued at £l2 2s 6d; Barnett and Wilson, with converting to their use a motor-car valued at £2OO, the property of Albert Joseph Morris; Barnett, Martin and the 16-year-old youth, with breaking and entering the shop of Arthur Grant Sherriff, and stealing about £ll in money; and West, Barnett and Hodges, with converting to their use a motor-car valued at £IOO, the property of Cecil Haden Tait. Mr. C. J. D. White appeared for Wilson and Hodges, and, on behalf ot Mr. Hanlon, for Martin. Mr. John Wilkinson appeared for West. Dtective Beer said that for about a year there had been complaints regarding the illegal use of Chevrolet motor-cars to which the gang confined its attentions. The detective asked for fe until next Wednesday, as a pf fresh charges were pending. and Martin would be charged with breaking open several letter boxes and stealing the letters. There would also be further charges of breaking and entering against these two, who were the principals in the gang, and against West. Wilson and West would probably be associated with the others in charges of “conversion.” Detective Beer objected to bail being granted. He said the accused had given a lot of trouble, and it would be as well to keep them apart. The magistrate, Mr. J. R. Bartholomew, said that all the accused, with the exception of the juvenile, would be remanded until Wednesday. As they had admitted the charges there was no reason why their names should be suppressed. They were a mischievous gang, and should not be set at liberty. Bail would therefore be refused. In regard to the juvenile an crder would be made suppressing his name, and he would be dealt with in the Juvenile Cburt.