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SHOPLIFTERS COLLAPSE

WHEN SENTENCED TO GAOL. TWO AUCKLAND WOMEN BEFORE COURT. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, September 19. Two married women who had gone cut on what the police described a; “organised shoplifting expeditions” or August 1 and 14, and stolen from several city stores, were sent to prisor by Mr Hunt, S.M., in the Magistrates Court. Ellen Ida Bird, aged about 5( who, it was alleged, had conducted a “shoplifting business,” was sentenced to two months’ imprisonment, and Isabel Harvey, aged 4.3, was imprisoned for one month. Both women collapsed in Court when they heard the sentences. Mr L. P. Leary appeared for Mrs Harvey, who pleaded guilty to all charges. Mrs Bird, who was not re presented by counsel, pleaded no guilty. Mr Leary said he was compelled or behalf of his client to place the blame on Mrs Bird. “Mrs Bird is a woman who ha: semething of a history,” added counsel, “for she is a woman who runs a business such as shoplifting, and i.< anxious to get a ‘stool pigeon’ to gc along with her. The technique was this,” continued Mr Leary. “Mrs Bird and her daughter had special bags each with a large mouth. Mrs Bird and Mrs Harvey would be one or: either side of Mrs Bird’s daughter, whe is 14 years old. The girl < would open her bag under the shop counter. Mrs Bird would examine the article to be stolen and, with a neat shuffle, it would go into the bag. Later, when the bag became full, it would be emptied into other bags carried by the two women. “Mrs Harvey was not so skilled as Mrs Bird and, as she was clumsy, was detected in a shop. When she found that Mrs Bird was putting all the blame on to her, Mrs Harvey decided to tell the truth against Mrs Bird. However, Mrs Harvey is primarily responsible for stealing only one dress.” Detective-Sergeant Nalder, who prosecuted, told the magistrate that Mrs Bird had been a reputed shoplifter for some time and whenever she went into a shop she was always watched. “There is not a doubt that this is a case of organised shoplifting,” said De-tective-Sergeant Nalder, “and that these two women had been acting in

concert. There is also no doubt that Mrs Bird has been operating for some time and that she trained her daughter to steal, the two women acting as cover for the daughter. The girl will later appear before the Children’s Court.” Describing the case as particularly bad, the magistrate sentenced Mrs Bird to two months’ imprisonment and Mrs Harvey to one month.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WAITA19410920.2.5.5

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 September 1941, Page 2

Word count
Tapeke kupu
437

SHOPLIFTERS COLLAPSE Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 September 1941, Page 2

SHOPLIFTERS COLLAPSE Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 September 1941, Page 2

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