WHOLESALE THEFT

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20497, 13 May 1938, Page 8

WHOLESALE THEFT

OVER £llOO INVOLVED SEVEN MEN PLEAD GUILTY LARGE BUSINESSES SUFFER (By Telegraph.—Press Association) CHRISTCHURCH, Thursday Thefts involving goods to the value of £1164 were alleged to have been committed by eight men and one women who appeared in the Magistrate's Court to-day. The police claimed the offences extended over three years. A ninth man has been charged with receiving property alleged to have been stolen. "These charges are the result of a system of wholesale thieving by eight men and one woman, all of whom were employees of large business firms,” said Detective-Sergeant Holmes. He added that the stolen property recovered exceeded three tons in weight. The persons involved in the thefts had been employed by the firms for from five to 24 years and all seemed to work to a common centre and there had been a common receiver.

Accused were dealt with separately and the first was John Searle (38), charged with thefts of goods valued at £221 from John Burns and Company.

Detective Cunningham read a statement made by Searle admitting the thefts and saying he delivered all the goods to a man named Lowther. Searle pleaded guilty and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. Herbert Arthur Currie (38) was charged with the theft of goods valued at £77 from the Drapery and General Importing Company and of receiving goods valued at £lO, knowing them to have been stolen. Currie pleaded guilty and was committed for sentence.

The charges against the others are proceeding.

Pleas of Guilty Six of the men charged with theft, one of whom faced a receiving charge in addition, entered pleas of guilty and were committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. The man against whom eight charges of receiving were preferred also pleaded guilty and was committed for sentence. One man was remanded until Monday, and the case against the woman was adjourned until next Thursday. The men accused of theft, John Searle, Herbert Arthur Currie, Tom Hazard, Harold Thomas Stringer, Rawei Arthur Wilkinson, Harold Herbert Stackhouse and Herbert Francis Hempenstall, gave evidence of the handling of goods when the receiving charges again Hugh Lowther were heard. Bail of £3OOO Fixed Lowther was granted bail in his own recognisance of £IOOO and two sureties of £IOOO each. For Searle bail was fixed at £2OO and one surety of £2OO. In each of the other cases the accused were granted renewal of bail of £IOO and one surety of £IOO. All were ordere to report daily to the police.