GANG BROKEN UP

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 683, 7 June 1929, Page 1

GANG BROKEN UP

PROBATION, GAOL AND FINE THEFT FROM SHOPS Four young men who were charged a week ago with stealing lollies in Devonport and Auckland, appeared for sentence at the Police Court this morning, two on the original charges of theft and two for receiving. OTUART HASLETT CROMPTON, an engraver aged 20, and Anthony Howley, a bootmaker aged 19, pleaded guilty last Friday to stealing lollies valued at £1 from William Atherton, at Devonport on May 28, and a further supply valued at £2 5s from Peter Craig at Auckland on the following day. Raymond Augustus Walker, a blacksmith aged 21, and Edgar William Roberts, a labourer, aged 17, admitted receiving lollies valued at £1 10s. A further charge, to which Howley pleaded guilty, was that he stole a coat and scarf valued at £4 10s from Albert Bygrave Chappell on May 23. In regard to the last charge, ChiefDetective Hammond said that Howley had gone to a social at the Power Board offices in Queen Street, and had stolen the coat from the dressingroom. “He sold the coat for 10s,” added the chief-detective. “It is a serious thing for a young fellow when his coat is stolen like that.” According to Mr. W. J. Campbell, probation officer, Crompton and Howley had no previous convictions, although Howley had been before the court. The two young men were placed on probation for two years and Howley was ordered to make restitution.

The chief-detective asked that the terms of the probation he made particularly strict, as the accused were bad young men who were believed to have broken into places on both sides of the water.

The probation officer said that Roberts was at present on probation. Walker had been, but his term had expired. “I can make no recommendation,” he said.

Mr. Moody, who appeared for Walker and Roberts, said that the parents had work for the latter young man. Walker had done well during his term of three years’ probation. In the opinion of counsel the week in gaol had had a salutory effect on the young men. They were not represented by counsel when they had pleaded guilty to receiving, and now they had to bear the brunt of it. Mr. Moody considered that it would he unwise to impose terms &t the Borstal or in gaol, as that frequently had the effect of turning a youth into a hardened criminal.

Roberts was fined £5 and Walker was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment, to be followed by a year’s reformative detention.