MAN'S MEAN THEFT

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 36, 12 February 1943, Page 4

MAN'S MEAN THEFT

STOLE * FROM FRIEND

NINE MONTHS IN GAOL

For a mean theft from a man who had befriended him, an ex-Borstal boy was sentenced to nine months' imprisonment by Mr. J. H. Luxford, S.M., in the Police Court to-day. He was George James Billens, a labourer, aged 20, who pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing, on February 1, a quantity of tobacco, cigarettes, cutlery, crockery, a dressing gown, four suitcases and a variety of other goods, of a total value of £43, the property of William Scott Carroll. Detective-Sergeant Trethewey said Billens had been working in the kitchen at a public works camp at Waiheke, where the complainant was the cook. Both came to Auckland for the week-end, and as Billens had nowhere to go, Carroll took him to his home in Newton. On the Monday morning Carroll went to the city to purchase tobacco and cigarettes for men at the camp. Billens offered to look after the suitcase containing the tobacco and cigarettes and bring the goods to the boat and return to Waiheke with Carroll. Carroll left Billens and went to do more shopping. Billens did not turn up at the boat, and later Carroll discovered that he had returned to his home and stolen four'suitcases, cutlery and crockery, as well as some clothing. . When seen by a detective Billens admitted the theft. He sold some cutlery to a taxi driver for 10/ and some crockery. to a secSnd-hand dealer, while he disposed of the cigarettes and tobacco cheaply to a Dalmatian tobacconist. "This was a particulai-ly mean and bad type of theft, as the complainant had trusted and befriended Billens," added Mr. Trethewey. "The Dalmatian made good the difference in price, but even so Carroll is the loser by £13. Billens has a bad list for one so young. He is at present on license from Borstal, having been released in August last." Billens, who had nothing to say, was sentenced to nine months' imprisonment with hard labour.