TEARFUL THIEF

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 422, 2 August 1928, Page 16

TEARFUL THIEF

DESCRIBED AS “FINISHED ARTICLE” SUAVE, ASTUTE, INGENIOUS (From Our Own Correspondent.) PUKEKOHE, Wednesday. Described by the magistrate as the “finished article in his particular line of business/ 7 a thief wept bitterly when sentenced in the Pukekohe Police Court to-day. The depredations of a youth named Richard Edward Walker were related in the Pukekohe Police Court to-day. A series of thefts ranging from February to July were preferred against Walker, who was also charged with false pretences. TWO CHARGES DISMISSED Accused resides at Pukekohe East, and during the time he was employed on farms in the Waerenga district he appears to have used this locality as the headquarters of his activities. Five convictions were entered against him in respect of the theft of personal and household effects at Okaeria. near Waerenga, tools at Puni. railway property at Pukekohe and jewellery at Mercer. Two charges of false pretences at Te Kauwhata. and thefts from an employer in the same locality were dismissed, the evidence for the prosecution being of a weak nature. SHAPING WELL IN BUSINESS As the result of. Walker’s orgy of crime h© was admitted to probation for a period of three years for the theft of a ring, and sentenced to two months’ imprisonment with hard labour in respect of the other convictions. “The evidence shows that the accused is not only a thief but an astute one,” remarked Mr. F. H. Levien, S.M., in passing sentence. “Walker is more or less the finished article, and he is shaping well in the particular line of business in which he is engaged. He not only pursued it himself, but he is prepared to go to no end of trouble to bolster up his ingenious stories. He has a very glib tongue, and the police are to be complimented in pulling him up as they have done. I am satisfied that accused has, through his ingenious stories, succeeded in getting a female witness to deliberately perjure herself, while his friends and relations have also done their best to clear him.” FORGOTTEN BY POLICE Walker commenced his career in 1917, and continued until 1923, when h© chose to “go straight.” He had practically been forgotten by the police, but early this year renewed his acquaintance with them. While employed by farmers they missed articles, but. Walker was never suspected, his suave personality allaying any suspicions. A tin trunk owned by Walker was taken possession of, and the police have had no small task in ascertaining the rightful owners. Upon hearing the sentence Walker wept bitterly.