BOY BURGLARS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 307, 28 December 1922, Page 4

BOY BURGLARS.

GREY lyjTN DEPREDATIONS.

NUMEROUS RESIDENCES ROBBED.

FrVE AItRESTS MADE.

During the past few weeks manyresidences at Grey Lynn and Kingsland have been looted in the absence of the occupiers and a considerable amount of jewellery, money and email articles stolen. The work was at first thought to have been that of certain suspected men, but Detective-Sergt. Issell, who a short time ago .broke up the gang of hooligans who terrorised the Mount Eden and Grafton districts, and also arrested the leaders of an organised gang of juvenile desperadoes who had burgled a number of business premises and who were found to be possessed of a number of dangerous bombs and house-breaking implements, made investigation with unexpected result?. On Christmas Day the detective arrested five 'boys, thp sons of respectable parents, who. after initial denials, at last confessed their depredations and led him to various places where they had stolen articles planted.

The lads arrested are said to be bright boys of 13 and 14 years of age and inordinately fond of literature of the "Deadwood Dick" and detective variety. They had a sort of lending library among themselves, and used to meet and discuss the ''heroee" and "bad men" of this form of fiction, and this reading h said to have been responsible for their incursions into the realms of burglary.

The arrests were made on Christmas Day, so it was not a merry Christmas for the 'boy burglars, nor "was it for the detective, who spent the day in superintending the operations of" his captives in locating the loot in all manner of hiding -places. Some of the efolen property was recovered, but the young rascals'responsible for its theft had flung much valuable stuff down drains and into natural watercourses. Long search was made by fossickers in a 2-ullv running- between Grey Lvnn and Kinesland. but the recent rains had washed almost everything deposited away. However, much patience was rewarded in the detective recovering cameras, fountain pens, watches, caehboxes, powder-puff boxes, bracelets, amethyst and diamond rings, brooches, and some coins and broken cash-boxes. Many of the articles stolen were not of much monetary worth, but had especial intrinsic value in that they had been presents from soldier? who will never return from the fields of war. The totaT value of the pilfered property is said tn approach £inn. The following is the list of places that the five boys confessed to haip hurtled: Leo "Francis Casev. Campbell Street. Grey Lvnn: Albert Arthur Dunks, Elgin Street. Grey Lynn: Mrs. Warner. Drvdpn Street. Grey Lynn: Charles Fdwin Blatch. Firth Koad. Grey Lynn; Mary Porter and Miss Grainier, Criimmer "Road: Mrs. Howard, '"rummer Ttoad; Mir.* Sehradc F.ljrin Street. Grey I.vnn; Mi-s Sinclair, Commer.-ial Road. Kingsland: George Baildon. Great North Road. Grey Lynn.

The lads a.re nov released under supervision until they appear before the Juvenile Court on charge; of breaking and entering and theft. Meanwhile, residents of the districts which have been subject to the unpleasant attention of these boys will feel relieved at their arrest and grateful to the smart work of . the detectiv e who gave the lads who loved detective tales a lesson on the sagacity of the detective in isal life.