CAUGHT WITH THE GOODS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 145, 18 June 1912, Page 7

CAUGHT WITH THE GOODS.

MAN UNDER THE BED.

Shortly after nine o'clock on Tuesday morning a fortnight ago, Mr. Thomas Loughnan, licensee of the Market Hotel, having occasion to go to Ms bedroom, observed a man under the bed- He dragged, the intruder out, and the latter, when asked his business, said he was looking for a man. A suggestion of search caused the man, since identified as Robert Long, to make a break for liberty, but Mr. Loughnan tripped him up and forced bim into a sitting-room, where he was confined until the arrival of a policeman. A search of his pockets produced a locket, a gold bangle, and a gold'wristlet with watch attached. Long also had a little over £0 in cash, and a number of foreign and ancient coins. The jewellery was recognised as belonging to Mrs. Loughnan, while it was found that £5 10/ she had left in a purse in her •room had been taken, and that a purse belonging to a sempstress who was employed in the house had also been rifled of five shillings. Later it was discovered that the previous Thursday evening a theft had been made from the bedToom of Miss Lilian Williams, barmaid at the British Hotel. Miss Williams had left a handbag containing £5 10/ and a purse in which was a collection of coins under the quilt of her bed at 7 p.m. When she returned to tbe room some hours later, the handbag was lying on the bed. but the money and coins were gone. The coins found on Long she identified as part of her missing collection, which she valued at £5.

Charged with the thefts at the Police Court this morning, Lonfu who is a man of 35 years, and has a couple of aliases, when first charged, intimated his intention of pleading guilty to the theft of jewellery, but when the evidence haJ been heard, he altered his plea to "not guilty," and was eormnitited to the Supreme Court for trial. He- asked for bail, whereon the SubInspector stated that- the man's record was a bad one. apd included convictions in Australia. Bail was fixed at two sureties of £150 each.