PENSIONER ROBBED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 December 1938, Page 8

PENSIONER ROBBED

UNDER COVER OF HORSEPLAY MAN GETS THREE MONTHS IN GAOL. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. “This class of offence is merely a more refined form of pickpocketing—enticing a man into a side street and apparently ,when indulging in horseplay and under cover of the horseplay, going through his pockets,” said Mr J. H. Luxfcrd, S.M., dealing with Eric John Jones, a labourer and hawker, aged 38, who was charged with the theft from the person of D. L. B. Ross of a tobacco tin containing two £1 notes, an art union ticket and a war discharge certificate, of the total value of £2 Os Id. “It is a very serious matter and one I cannot pass over leniently,” said the Magistrate. He imposed a sentence of three months’ imprisonment with hard labour. i Ross, a pensioner, aged 65, said he ■ was asked if he was “Sullivan.” This ended in an apology and an invitation : to drink. They were joined by two < -others and then the men began showing him wrestling holds. He found i that his tin had gone, and got away. < He met a policeman and they man- < aged to catch one of the men with the tin on him. 1 The Magistrate: “We will have to < call this one “The Grab,” instead of : ' The Crab.” 1 Ross said he had about 18s in his I trouser pocket, and that was cleaned t out too. 1