STOLEN GRAMOPHONES.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 200, 24 August 1928, Page 5

STOLEN GRAMOPHONES.

OBTAINED ON TIME PAYMENT. SOLD TO PAWNBROKERS. MAX'S EXPENSIVE "BRAINWAVE."' People purchase gramophones usually to make music, but not so in the case of Ernest Walter Gray (33), who bought quite a number, on the time payment system, in order to make money. His "brainwave," however, proved expensive. He pleaded guilty, when he appeared at the Police Court this morning, to five charges of stealing gramophones, worth a total of £72 15/. from five Auckland business firms, while he also admitted having obtained £5 by false pretences. "This man evidently got an idea that he could make some easy money," said Chief Detective Hammond, "for he bought expensive gramophones from five firms by paying a small deposit on them, and afterwards sold them to pawnbrokers. The offences were committed during 1926, 1927, and the present year. Gray has just finished a sentence of 14 days' imprisonment, and I don't think he has done much work recently. He has been living by the means I have indicated for some time. Some of the gramophones have been recovered, while others have been resold by the pawnbrokers." Accused pleaded for another chance for the sake of his wife and family. "You were sentenced for default of maintenance, so you evidently don't worry much about them," said Mr. McKean, in sending Gray to gaol for three months on one of the charges.