I WAREHOUSE THEFTS

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 216, 12 September 1935, Page 9

I WAREHOUSE THEFTS

TWO MEN CONFESS.

RECEIVER ALSO CHARGED

"SAD CASE," SAYS MAGISTRATE

Two young men who word employed at a city warehouse for some years and stole goods belonging to their employers and disposed of them to a business man in the city, were dealt with by Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., on theft charges in the Polieo Court this morning. A third man was charged with receiving. All three were admitted to probation.

Keith Desmond Whitburn and Douglas Henry I'haro were each charged, between December 7, 1934, and August 29 last with stealing hardware and a variety of other articles of a total value of ";C44 4/5, the property of Arthur 11. Nathan, Limited. Both were further charged with the theft of a box of batteries worth 12/9 on October 2!), and a wringer valued at .€1 11/(5 on November 29. The third man, Arthur Hookway, was charged with receiving the goods, knowing them to have been dishonestly obtained.

Mr. O. P. Pinlay appeared for Whitburn and Pharo, and Mr. J. Hogben for Hookway. All throe pleaded guilty.

How Offences Were Discovered.

Senior Detective Hall said that on August 2S an employee of Arthur H. Nathan, Limited, where Pharo and Whitburn were employed, noticed a town order ready for dispatch. The following day the same employee saw the order in the dispatch room and observed that more goods than appeared on the order slip were being supplied. He informed Mr. Nathan, with the result that the present offences were disclosed. Whitburn wae the second in charge of the hardware department at Arthur H. Nathan's and was friendly with Hookway, who was in partnership in a business in Eden Terrace. Whitburn had taken Pharo into his confidence by sending more goods to Hookway than he had ordered. Whitburn gave Pharo some of the money. Pharo vva<s aware that ho was receiving more goods than he had ordered. Whitburn was in the ha'bit of calling and collecting from Hookway about 50 or 60 per cent of the value of the goods sent to Hookway but not ordered. "After confessing to their employers what had been going on, Wftitburn and Pharo came to the detective office and made a clean breast of everything," said Mr. Hall. "Ilookway never knew that Pharo was implicated. The total value of the goods traced was £46 18/0, while £34 6/10 worth were recovered, leaving about £12 11/ worth unrecovered."

Hookway, eaid Mr. Hallj was 30 years of age and a married man. Nothing was previously known against him. Whitburn was a married man with a wife and two young children. He had been employed at Nathan's for ten years and was always regarded as a good employee, honest and reliable. Pharo was single and had been six years at Nathan's. Nothing was known against either of these men.

Mr. F. K. Hunt: This is a very sad case. I suppose they have now lost their jobs?

Started by Accident,

Mr. Finlay, speaking on behalf of Whitburn and Pharo, said the system was comparatively new and began 12 months ago by an accident, when goods of a minimum quantity were sent by mistake to Hookway and not charged for. From that time on the practice was continued in a desultory manner. The value of the goods did not exceed £50 and Whitburn and Pharo only received about £30, which they shared. Whitburn had been faced with great economic pressure through his wife's illness and had been lent money by his employers, which he repaid weekly out of his wages. Pharo was contemplating matrimony and at the time the offences etarted he was in receipt of a small salary. "This practice was not protracted, 'neither did it assume large proportions," snid Mr. Finlay. "The firm of Arthur H. Nathan will do anything it can for these two young men, except take tbein back. To do that would place the firm in an impossible position. These two men were always regarded by the firm as excellent and honest workers. Both made a full and frank confession to the firm and to the police, and they are deeply repentant. I am sure that better results will be achieved if they are extended the benefits of probation." On behalf of Hookway, Mr. Hogben said that Hookway never at any time tried to shift the responsibility from lire shoulders on to anyone else. It was an accident which gave rise to the offences being committed. He .had been barely earning, wages ill his business and it was probably this which caused him to do what he Jiad done. Hookway realised the seriousness of the .offence and was anxious to make restitution. "I hope that in considering the interests of the community the needs of the individual will weigh with your Worship, said counsel in asking that probation be extended.

Probation Recommended. Mr. W. J. Campbell, who had investigated the matter thoroughly, recommended that all three accused should be placed on probation. Mr. Hunt admitted Pharo to probation for 12 months. "You two men are much older than Pharo and ought to have known better than to lead a rounder man astray," he told Whitburn and Hookway, who were placed on probation for two years and each ordered to make restitution of £6 5/8.