YOUTH’S REVOLVER

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20909, 14 September 1939, Page 11

YOUTH’S REVOLVER

DUMMY BULLETS USED BURGLARY AND THEFT ADMITTED OPERATIONS IN HAMILTON WELLINGTON, Wednesday A revolver loaded with wooden imitation bullets, stated by the police to have been in the possession of Raymond Stanley Hill, storeman, aged 18, when arrested, was produced as an exhibit in the Magistrate's Court in Wellington today. Hill was charged before Mr .1. L. Stout, S.M., with breaking and entering the shop of Stanley Gideon Lamb, 230 Wakefield Street, and stealing goods and money valued at £lB. Hill pleaded guilty and was committed to the Supreme Court at Auckland for sentence. On a charge of attempted breaking and entering in Palmerston North, Hill was remanded to appear there on September 20, and on five charges of theft, which he admitted, he was ordered to come up for sentence if called on within 12 months.

Detective-Sergeant P. Doyle prosecuted, and Detective A. Reid said in evidence that when arrested on August 30 Hill admitted in a statement that he had forced a window in Lamb’s shop, and had stolen two motor tyres and tubes which he needed for his car. He stated also that he was armed with an unloaded revolver, which he intended using to scare anybody who might have interfered with him. He also admitted taking about £5 in money from the till and a cheque which he later tried to cash. “As soon as I saw the bank clerk was suspicious, I left the cheque and departed immediately,” accused said in his statement.

Referring to the other charges, Mr Doyle said Hill had lived with his grandmother in Hastings for about two years. She gave him a car, and he subsequently went on a tour of the North Island, leaving a trail of offences behind him from Auckland to Wellington. He committed these offences in practically every town he visited. Much of the property, including a portable typewriter stolen in Hamilton, was in his possession when arrested by Detectives Reid and G. E. Callaghan.