SMART WORK.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 173, 24 July 1934, Page 3

SMART WORK.

• POLICE CATCH MAORI. >■ THEFT CHARGE AT PAEROA. TOBACCO TIN IDENTIFIED. f (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) c PAEROA, this day. f A siorv of smart police work was told . in the Police Court at Paeroa this morns ing when \\ illiaiu Gage, a Maori, l pleaded guilty to breaking and entering | the dwelling of J. Costello, in Rotokohu . Road, and stealing goods valued at 10/, - also with stealing in May last a gold 1 bangle valued at £3, the property of Miss E. A. Cock. The indictable charge ; was reduced to one of common theft. i Constable Maiden stated that while i returning home from Paeroa Costello t noticed near his house a man weaving a ,r fawn jersey whom he thought was the ; accused. The latter had arrived at the . pa wearing a white shirt and pleading , an alibi. On going to the spot where • Costello had seen the man in a fawn t jersey the police discovered it and the • stolen goods hidden in the scrub. i \\ hen interviewed accused denied his ■ guilt, but when casually asked for . tobacco he produced a tin which Cos- , tello identified. On being arrested Gage admitted his guilt, and later admitted stealing a gold bangle and throwing it in the river on learning that the police r were investigating. > On the first charge the presiding justices, Messrs. \V. F. Johnstone and P. Gwilliam, convicted accused anil sentenced him to one month's hard labour. On the second charge accused was convicted and discharged.