CUNNING THIEF

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1068, 4 September 1930, Page 10

CUNNING THIEF

ACCIDENT NO EXCUSE FOR STEALING SENTENCED TO 12 MONTHS The tact that he was suffering from the effects of an accident was no excuse for theft, as Raymond James Woodward found when he appeared before Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., at the Police Court today. He was sentenced to 12 months’ gaol. 31, pleaded guilty through Mr. Sullivan, to stealfng an overcoat valued Woodward, a liorse-trainer, aged at £9, the property of Geoffrey F. Clark, aud stealing a gold watch valued at £l2, the property of James Stanway. Chief-Detective Hammond said that Clark, who was in the employ of the Waitemata Power Board, hung up his coat in the building on August 14. At 5 p.m. it had disappeared. In the case of the theft of the gold watch, this had been taken to a jeweller for repairs. “Accused entered the shop on August 6 and saw the watch hanging up with a tag on it,” said Mr. Hammond. “He asked for a watch for a fictitious person and pointed the watch out. When the jeweller said it was for Stanway, accused said Mrs. Stan way had told him to call for it, as it belonged to the person he had named at first.” Counsel said that accused admitted the facts about the watch, blit had a different story to tell about the overcoat. “Yes, he bought it from a Jack Smith in the street,” said Mr. Hammond. ‘ He had a nice receipt all ready to show us.” Counsel: He had a bad accident recently and he is now out of work. “That doesn’t excuse him. The doctor doesn’t prescribe theft as a cure, I’m sure,” said Mr. Hunt, who surveyed a list of accused’s 15 previous convictions. Accused: I have a job still open. “Well, it’s closed now,” said the magistrate. “I've given you chances before. I won’t have a thief like you about. You are sentenced to six months on each charge, the sentences to be cumulative.”