MOTOR THEFTS.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20647, 9 September 1932, Page 5

MOTOR THEFTS.

YOUNG MEN BEFORE COURT.

CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE DONE

Seven young men, of ages Tanging from 16 years to 20 years, appeared hi tho Magistrate's Court before Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M., yesterday inoniing to answer a series of charges connected with, the theft and conversion of motor-cars and motor-cycles antl the theft of motor parts and tools. Two of them, who were described as the ring-leaders of a gang, wero convicted and sentenced to terms of detention at the Borstal Institution and Waikeria I'risou respectively. Four were remanded to enable the Probation Officer to report on them; and one, a juvenile, was 'remanded to appear in the Children's Court, The offences of at least one of the young men were ascribed by counsel to tho enforced idleness of long periods of. unemployment. Tho accused were as follows: — James Arthur Haneox, a pressor, aged 17—14 charges. Convicted and sentenced to two years' detention at the Borstal Institution. Prank Laurity llancox. a labourer, aged 20—live charges. Convicted and sentenced to one year's detention at Waikeria Prison. Clarence Leslie liccd, a paperruuuer, aged 18 —3 charges. Remanded until September loth. Bail, £25, with one surety of a similar amouut. Robert Henry Geary—one charge. Remanded until September 131 h. Bail £25, with one surety of £25. William Thomas Gilmorc, a labourer, aged 20—one charge. Kcmandcd for «'t week in custody. James Edward Laft'ey, a labourer, aged 24—one charge, Remanded until September loth. Bail £IOO, with one surety of £IOO. A juvenile, aged 10—14 charges, demanded to appear in tho Juvenile Court. List of Offences. James Arthur llancox and the juvenile were jointly charged with tho following offences:—Theft of motorcycle-, valued at £ls; {heft of push bicycle, valued at £8 10s; unlawful conversion of a motor cycle, valued at £SO; theft of a motor-cycle, valued at £45; theft of motor-cycle, valued at £3O; theft of a quantity of motorcycle tools and spares, valued at XS Us; theft of motor tyre and wheel, valued at £4; unlawful conversion of motorcycle, valued at £4O; theft of motorcycle, valued at £45; unlawful conversion of Singer motor-car, valued at I'l.'iO.

James Arthur llancox, the juvenile, and Robert Henry Geary, were jointly charged with the theft of two parking lamps valued at £0 os. Frank Laurity llancox, Clarence Leslie Reed, and the juvenile wero jointly charged with tho theft of a quantity of tobacco, valued at £1 lis.

Frank Laurity llancox, and the juvenile were joiirtly charged with the theft of a bicycle, valued at £4. James Arthur llancox, Frank Laurity Hancox, and the juvenile, wero jointly charged wjth the theft of a quantity of tools, valued at £1 lis; and the unlawful conversion of a motor-car valued at £l2O.

James Arthur llancox and Clarence Leslie Reed were jointly charged with the thel't of two lamps, valued at £<->

•James Arthur Hancox ami Frank Lauiity Hancox were jointly charged with the unlawful conversion of a mutor-v.yvlu, valued at .£3O. James Edward Laffey was charged with receiving goods valued at £.lO, knowing the same to liave been dishonestly obtained. William Thomas Gilmarc was charged witli receiving various motor-ear accessories, valued at. £8 l»a, knowing thorn to have been dishonestly obtained. Two Running Wild. Chief-Hetectivo J. Carroll said that the charges spoke for themselves. The two Hancox brothers had been running 'practically wild with other people's property. Thoy had not only been stealing motor-cars and motor-cycles, but they had been pulling them to pieces, interchanging parts, and disguising them. A lot of property had not yet been recovered. The Hancox brothers were expert mechanics, and their methods of interchanging motor-cycle parts and of painting the cycles were ingenious. They had been before the Court before, but not since they were-juven-iles. There would be a great deal of restitution to be made if the brothers were given their freedom. ( Missing parts of one of tho mdtor-cyclcs amounted to £5, and of one of the cars to ovcV £4. Counsel for Gilmore disclaimed the active association of his client with the thefts of the gang. lie had been working at Prebblclo'n, anil had fallen in with the others. lie did not associate, with them. Gilmore was remanded for a week i;i custody for a report from the Probation Officer. Cause of Trouble. That the charges against tho Hancox brothers were regrettable, owing to the magnitude of tho damage done, was admitted by counsel for the two young men. He said that Frank Hancox had bpen unemployed for a long time, and that this was the cause of his falling in with evil companions. He was somewhat of a wizard with machinery, and he was very fond of pulling mechanism about. Both boys had been very sore over getting ho work over a long period, and Arthur, who had not had a job for eighteen months, bad a natural love for farming. Counsel described him aa the ring-leader, and asked for discrimination in the treatment meted out to them. The Magistrate said that he intended to dissociate tho two brothers. Arthdr would be convicted on all the chargC3 to which he pleaded guilty and, en those concerning more than £2, he would he admitted to the Borstal "Institution at Invercargill for two years. Frank would' be convicted and ordered to bo detained at Wakkeria Prison for twelve months. "Unwilling Associate." "The charges against Reed are an illustration of the need of the present youth campaign," said Reed's counsel. Keed had been employed as a fruiterer's assistant for a year after leaving school. He and his family had suffered hardships as the result of unemployment, and Eeed had shown bravery in trying to make a living for himself and his people by hawking fruit. If he had been subject to the discipline and industry of a regular trade he would not now have been before the Couvt. H-i was an unwilling associate of the other accused, and had been drawn in under the leadership of the Hancox brothers. Reed was remanded until September lath for a report from the Probation o%er. Bail was fixed at £25, with one suretv of £25.