SHOP ROBBED

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 280, 26 November 1941, Page 9

SHOP ROBBED

ONEHUNGA BURGLARY

THREE MEN CHARGED

Charged with breaking and entering the shop of F. C. Marks, grocer. Queen Street, Onehunga, on the night of October 30 and stealing the sum of £20 in money and cigarettes to the value of £1, Roy Gerald Keith Macdonald, Cecil John Ross and John Henry Sidney Keane appeared in the Magistrate's Court at Onehunga this morning before Messrs. J. E. Green and J. E. Cowell, J.P.'s. Detective-Sergeant J. Trethewey conducted the case for the police.

Frederick Charles Marks stated that when he arrived at his shop on Friday morning, October 31, he found a window at the back open and that a fanlight over the window had been forced. He had left silver to the value of £20 in two canvas bags under a desk the night before. The money was missing and also the cigarettes. He identified two bags produced.

Detective J. Hunt stated that on November 19 he took the accused Macdonald to some willow trees along the railway line near Princess Street, Onehunga. Macdonald showed him the bags which they had taken from Marks' shop and thrown away. The same day he saw the accused Keane, who said that he went to the shop with the other two accused and they broke into the premises and took the money and cigarettes, throwing the empty bags into the tree.

Detective A. G. Harris said that on November 19 he interviewed Macdonald, who told him that he went with Keane and Ross to Marks' shop on the night of October 30. They forced the back door and found the money, which they took away. The following day Detective Harris interviewed Ross, who said that on the night of the robbery the three accused went to Marks' shop and forced the back door open. Macdonald found the money and cigarettes, which were divided among them.

The three accused pleaded guilty and were committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. Bail was allowed at £100 each and £100 surety.