OFFENCES BY BOYS

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20021, 1 September 1930, Page 4

OFFENCES BY BOYS

CONVERSION OF CARS. BICYCLES STOLEN. Ciiargcs of having converted seven cars to their own use were brought against three boys, aged 15, 14, and 14 respectively, in the Children's Court on Saturday. The value of tho cars concerned, which were taken from the City streets, was nearly £2OOO. The eldest boy was also charged with stealing an electric torch valued at half-a-crown. Tho boys pleaded guilty. Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M., Mrs T. Green, J.P., and Mr W. M. Vest, J.P., presided. Chief-Detective J. Carroll said that tho boys had been operating during the last two or three weeks. The eldest boy, who seemed to bo the ringleader, took tho cars and then picked up the others and they went joy-riding together. Seven cars had been taken all told. The eldest boy owned a motor-cycle, and, although fifteen on last Saturday only, had somehow obtained a driver's license. When found in possession of ono of the cars the eldest boy had said that he bad seen in ono of the newspapers that the car was missing, had found it in Park terrace, and was driving it back to the Police Station. Unfortunately for him he had been seen driving it about at Riccarton. Ono of the other boys, who was with him at the time, had. however, told the truth. The eldest boy's mother said .that he was suffering from tuberculosis and was under the care of a doctor. He had only reoentlv been' able to get about. She had had no idea of what was happening when he went out. but thought that he was at the Ferris wheel in the Winter Show. The Magistrate: Have you chastised the boy ? He deserves a good thrashing from a police constable. The mother said he would have got it from his father, only they were frightened that it might start the haemorrhage again. The Magistrate said that the only thing that made liim reluctant to order a thrashing was that tho boy was not strong. ,He would be placed under the supervision of the Child Welfare Officer for three years. His license to drive would be cancelled and be would not be allowed to ride his motor-cycle for twelve months. "You also narrowly escaped a thrashing," said the Magistrate _ to the other two boys, "and it is no light thing to be thrashed by a constable." The boys were plaoed under tho care of the Child Welfar® Officer for a year.

Theft of Bicycles. Seven charges involving the theft of bicycles and cicycle parts were heard against a boy of 17, five against a boy of 13, two against a boy of 14, and two against another boy of 14. The total value of the goods taken was just over £9O. Tho bova pleaded guilty. Chief-Detective Carroll said that two of the boys had stolen three complete bicycles between them, while the other two had taken one each. The boys who had been taking the parts had so many bicycle parts in their possession that they did not know how many they had taken or where they had got them from. The bicycles had been found, but the parts had been taken off and interchanged. The father of one of the boys had bought an electric headlight from one of the others for sixpence. The Magistrate warned the man that he should not have done it and said he should have made enquiries before buying parts of a bicycle from a boy. The eldest boy was committed to the care of the Superintendent of Child "Welfare, no period being specified, two were committed to the care of the Child Welfare Officer for three years, and the other for two years.