'WONDERFUL WORK'

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 185, 7 August 1935, Page 8

'WONDERFUL WORK'

DETECTIVES PRAISED.

TRACED STOLEN JEWELLERY. SOME IN ATTCKULND HARBOTO (By Telegraph.—l Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. Alfred Jeffery, 27, a seaman, pleaded guilty to-day to a charge of breaking and entering the Anchor Exchange and Loan Company's office in Manners Street and stealing £84 and jewellery valued at £070 8/, also to breaking and entering the house of Alexander Meltzer at Hataitai and stealing £2 13/6, a pocket wallet, nine keys and a bottle of wine, of the total value of £4 10/6. He was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.

Mr. Meltzer, manager of the Anchor firm, said that on the morning of May 22 he discovered his house had been entered. The keys and wallet were missing from his trousers and his wife's purse had been taken. He rang up the police and went to his shop, where a detective was waiting. They found the shop in complete disorder, with private papers and documents scattered around. Money was missing, also stock to the value of about £390 and pledges valued at £279 12/6. All the jewellery in court came from his shop and £155 worth was still missing. He estimated the damage to the goods recovered at £93 17/6. Watch movements were missing, stones had been removed from rings and brooches damaged.

Detective McPhee said he found a large portion of the stolen property at a house in Haining Street on July 19 and on the following day communicated with the Wanganui police, who arrested accused.

Accused's Statement. Accused, in a statement to the police, said he went to Hataitai, and after committing the robbery there, went to the shop. Three or four days afterwards he called on Charlie Tong and displayed jewellery, and Tong said he would try and sell it. He said it might take a week or two to get rid of it. On another occasion Tonp said he would try to get another Chinese to melt the jewellery down. Accused broke up some of the jewellery and watches and went to Auckland. Goods that were of no use to him he dumped in the Auckland Harbour from the Devonport ferry steamer. He bought a motor cycle for £8 and returned to Wellington on finding he had no money. He saw Tong, who said a man would give £40 for the diamond rings. Tong gave him £4 10/ and £9, but accused later returned £2, as Tong had no money. Gratitude Seldom Heard." At the clost of the hearing Meltzer expressed to the bench his appreciation of the wonderful work of the detective branch in tracing the criminal and recovering a large portion of the jewellery.

The magistrate said it was pleasing to hear such a reference. Although the work of the police frequently merited the highest praise expressions of gratitude were very seldom heard. He asked Detective-Sergeant Revell to convey his remarks and those of Mr. Meltzer to the right quarter.