THE CHURCH ROBBERIES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 264, 14 December 1909, Page 2

THE CHURCH ROBBERIES.

TWO YOUTHS ARHESTED. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Christchurch, Last Sight, Two youths have been arrested on n charge of having committed a series of robberies in a large number of churches in the city and suburbs. A few weeks ago about a dozen chin clie« wht brown into, and money-boxes seL apart for charitable purposes were ransaekid." Only small sums of money were obtained, antl even the total \va6 not large, hut llie peculiar nature of the crimes attracted sonic attention at the time. Tile arrests were made at Moii'sworth sta lion, about 45 miles jiprth of Ilanme". by Detectives Ward and Gibson yesterday. The two youths, who are ab ml 17 or IS years old, and who reside m I'hristchurch, were suspected bv the police. One of them has been before lbs Court on a charge of petty theft. They were traced by means 'of the smail change which they took from the bo.\cAs soon as the first thefts were reported, tie detectives kept in touch with tradesmen and others, and ascertained that the young fellows had gone to a shopkeeper and asked him to give them large coins for a number of sixpenny and threepenny pieces, pennies and half, pennies. When the shopkeeper asked them how thev came into possession of so much small change, they stated that they had w;on it at "two-rip."