BIG ROUND-UP.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 268, 12 November 1928, Page 8

BIG ROUND-UP.

CRIME IN MOUNT EDEN. THEFTS AND BURGLARIES. MANY BOYS TO BE CHARGED. The Children's Court will be kept busy during tlic next few weekly Saturday sittings because of a big round-up of about 20 boys, which has been made by the Mount Eden police during the past few days. No less than 122 charges, ranging from mischief to breaking and entering and theft and the conversion of motor cars have been preferred against this juvenile gang which has for months given the police an anxious time. It is now believed that many of the burglaries and thefts which have occurred in the Mount Eden district for several months past will be cleared up.

On Saturday afternoon detectives arrested two boys, one a message boy of 14 and the other, who is described by the police as a labourer, 15 years of age. These boys, it is stated, are members of the gang which are awaiting trial at the Children's Court.

Two motor cars were stolen from city streets on Friday afternoon and the police believed that one was driven through Edendale the same evening. It was also found that two burglaries were committed and three slot telephone cabinets rifled the same night. Detectives believed that the missing motor cars and the crimes had some connection, so they set to work in an endeavour to trace the cars. One car was found abandoned on the top of Mangere Mountain on Saturday afternoon. A watch was kept on this car. Late in the afternoon another car was seen to approach. This was left in a quarry pit and two boys were seen to leave the car and climb a hill. One of the boys had a jack in his hand. Both were arrested as they approached the abandoned car. Provisions, which were alleged to have been stolen from Mr. Roy Forbes' shop in Edendale Road the night before were discovered under an overcoat which had been covered with grass. Other stolen goods were later discovered under some rocks. The two boys, it is stated, had a large number of pennies in their possession. The#e, it is believed, were taken from the three telephone cabinets which had been rifled on the Friday night. Both boys appeared before a magistrate this morning on a charge of breaking and entering Mr. Forbes' shop and stealing goods worth £20. Each was remanded to appear at the Children's Court on Saturday week. In the meantime they are to remain in custody.