STOLE COPPER WIRE.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 244, 15 October 1929, Page 7

STOLE COPPER WIRE.

TWO ENGINEERS SENTENCED. . BOTH PLACED ON PROBATION. . Having last week admitted two charges of stealing copper wire valued at £32 at Ngaruawahia on October 1 and 5, Leonard Parks (34) and Alieouer Allan Gibson (3S), two engineers, .came before Mr. F. K. Hunt, S,M.,.for sentence this morning. , . Chief Detective Hammond said the value of the stolen copper wire was really £60. This belonged to the P. and T. Department, who did not know it had been stolen until the detectives made inquiries from dealers who had bought the wire for £16 5/. Parks had been previously convicted of theft. There was nothing known against Gibson. Mr. E..-W. Inder, who . appeared for. both accused, said the thefts were not of the worst type: ' They did not have the elements of breaking and entering. The copper wire had been "found" on the roadside and the men foolishly took it, knowing it did not belong to them. Parks' conviction for theft was many years ago,' in ■ 1916. During the war Parks was badly injured and he had since undergone no less .£han 18 operations to his face. Both accused had seciired positions in freezing works, one in Wanganui and the other at Tokomaru Bay, so they would be well separated if the Court admitted them to probation., Each was placed.on probation for two years. They were ordered,' between them, to pay - £16 5/ to the dealers.