ALLEGED THEFTS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 November 1940, Page 7

ALLEGED THEFTS

AND BREAKING & ENTERING. TWO MEN COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND. November 4. In the Magistrates' Court Kenneth William Edward Bates, labourer, aged 32, and Reginald George Bloomfield, labourer, aged 33, were charged with breaking and entering the, counting house of Home Furnishers. Limited, and committing a crime on October 19, with being in possession of housebreaking instruments without lawful excuse by night, with having in their possession one and a half plugs of gelignite with intent to commit a crime, and with stealing on October 18 a brace, bits, a drill, a chisel, a jemmy and other tools, th’e property of Thomas Langley Simpson and Mate Bartulovitch.

Lacey Hall, manger of Home Furnishers, Limited, said that on going to the shop he found an unsuccessful attempt had been made to blow the safe open. There had been a fire in the shop since the previous night. The estimated damage by fire and water to the stock was about £lOOO. A mattress and quilts containing small feathers had been taken to the office and damaged and partly burned. The damage to the building by fire was estimated at about £4OO.

Constable Mexted said that while on night patrol in Karangahape Road he heard an explosion. In company with Aircraftman Chapman he made investigations and later saw two men come out of the door of Home Furnishers, Limited. One of them was carrying a bag. He followed them down to St. Kevin’s Arcade, where one of the men dropped the brown bag, and he finally grappled with one. who, he alleged, was Bloomfield. The man called out and escaped. When Bates came up Bates was secured and, with the assistance of Chapman, was taken to the Police Station. The bag was found to contain gelignite, fuses, a torch covered with green paper, a chisel and a rope. Witness returned to the shop and found a fire in the office. There was a slight explosion in the office and the building was enveloped in flames. He later attended an identification parade and had no difficulty in picking Bloomfield out from a number of men. The accused, Bates, pleaded guilty to the first three charges and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. He pleaded not guilty to the charge of stealing tools, being committed for trial. Bloomfield pleaded not guilty to all charges and was committed to the Supreme Court for trial.