CONCEALED ROOM

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 177, 28 July 1944, Page 6

CONCEALED ROOM

TO HOUSE PLUNDER BROTHERS' LIFE OF CRIME (P.A.) DUNEDIN, this day. In the Supreme Court to-day, Mr. Justice Kennedy sentenced Stanley Robert Phillips, aged 28, labourer, and Henry Walton Phillips, aged 29, labourer, on nine counts of theft, the possession of house-breaking instruments, and breaking, entering and theft, to various terms of imprisonment with hard labour up to 34 years, all the sentences to be concurrent.

His Honor said that over a period of six months, with every evidence of cunning, the prisoners had broken and entered various premises and stolen great quantities of goods and money. The amount recovered exceeded £800 in money and value. They had apparently determined to live by crime, and had had a concealed room in their home, elaborately fitted up to accommodate their plunder. Only by meritorious work of the police were they apprehended in their car on their return from an exploit at Naseby, when they broke into an hotel and stole £82 in money, £62 in cheques and £121 in other valuables. Each prisoner had admitted a large number of previous convictions, and his Honor said that, although they were not so declared, they had qualified for declaration as habitual criminals.