STOLEN COPPER CABLE.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 28, 2 February 1928, Page 10

STOLEN COPPER CABLE.

FROM POWER BOARD YARD. MAN PLEADS NOT GUILTY. Harvey Collins, aged 49, who has been awaiting trial since early in December on a ehargs of breaking, entering and theft, this morning pleaded not guilty in the Police Court before Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., to a charge of stealing 011 November 30 copper cable valued at £19 5/9, the projterty of the Auckland Electric Power Board. Chief Detective Hammond prosecuted. Evidence was given that a quantity of copper cable had been stolen from the yard of the Hobson Street substation. Cable the same as this had been found in the yard of Clark Bros., marine dealers, Freeman's Bay. It had been burnt so as to make it look secondhand. The two partners in the firm of Clark Bros, gave evidence that a man had come to them on November 30 and sold them 3041b of copper cable. The man signed the docket, giving his name as T. Smith and his addreu as 14, Victoria Street. The following day the man came again and sold hem 3081b of cable. He again signed the docket T. Smith, but gave his address as 14, Hobson Street. Witnesses did not notice the difference in the address at the time. On December 17 witnesses separately picked out accused from among eight mei. as the man who had sold them the cable. Detective Allen stated that when accused was arrested on December 4, on another charge, he gave his address as 14, Victoria Street. This was the address of a boot store and 14, Hobson Street that of a plumber's shop. Accused was asked to sign the name of T. Smith and the signature was the same as that on Clark's dockets. Whe» charged with the present offence accused said: "I'm not making any statement. 1 don't know anything about it." Collins reserved his defence and was committed to the Supreme Court for trial.