DARING THEFT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 45, 23 February 1931, Page 3

DARING THEFT.

YOUNG MAN ROBS TILL,

AERESTED IN MOTOR TRUCK

DEPRIVED OF LICENSE

After committing a daring theft of money from a shop till in Remuera Road on Saturday afternoon, a young man escaped in a motor truck, only to be later arrested on a charge of being in a state of intoxication while in charge of I the vehicle. ■ About 3 o'clock Air. Charles A. French, -who keepn a confectionery and stationer's shop at 211, Remuera Road, near the old tramway terminus, heard footsteps in his shop, and he found a young man behind the counter. He chased and caught the intruder and brought him back to shop, where he accused hii. of theft. The 7 - oung man invited Mr. French to search him. He found money in one pocket, whereupon the man said, '"Look out. or I'll knock you. 1 ' Pushing Mr. French aside l.e rushed out of the shop, boarded a moving motor van and escaped. There were two other men in the van. Mervyn Richards (19). a motor driver, appeared at the Police Court this morning, when he admitted the charge of intoxication and also the theft of 7/0 from the till of Mr. French's shop. Detective Sergeant Kelly said Richards came under the notice of Constable Surgeno" at U. 2.3 on Saturday evening when he was found sitting at the wheel of the motor truck in Queen Street. The engine was running and Richards was inebriated. He had one previous conviction for theft. Mr. K. Aekins said there was one thing in accused's favour, the fact that he had made a clean breast of the whole matter. He" was only 19 and was not in the habit of drinking. The truck did not belong to him. Mr. W. H. Woodward, S.M.: Well, it won't matter to him whether he can drive or not in the future? Mr. Aekins: It will, sir. He's a motor driver by occupation. Richards was fined £10, or 14 days' imprisonment on the intoxication charge and lined £2 : or seven days on the charge of theft. The magistrate also cancelled his license and directed that no license be issued to him for two years.