THEFT OF A BICYCLE

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20499, 16 May 1938, Page 8

THEFT OF A BICYCLE

LABOURER IMPRIBONED ONUS ON RECEIVERS “If goods are stolen and then found a short time afterwards in the possession of some- one the law casts on that person the onus of making an explanation of the manner in which he came b* it,” said Mr S. L. Paterson, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court, Hamilton, to-day. “If that explanation i-s obviously untrue, that person is held responsible and is looked upon as a thief.” The statement was made from the Bench when Leonard Robert Wright, a labourer, of Frankton, was sentenced to 21 days’ imprisonment with hard labour, when lie was convicted for stealing a bicycle valued at £9, the property of E. V. Oldham, of Frankton. Detective-Sergeant J. Thompson said Oldham left Iris bicycle in an alleyway and on returning lie found it had "been removed- Several days later he found the cycle in Hood Street. It had -been disguised in some details but . the owner knew the number of the machine. He called the police and watched until accused came to it. Accused said he purchased the cycle from a man in the street. He did not know the man’s name and lie had never seen him before or since. The price he had paid for it was £2. “Ilis statement is apparently untrue,” said the Detective-Sergeant.