HOUSE ROBBED BEFORE FIRE

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28896, 16 May 1959, Page 17

HOUSE ROBBED BEFORE FIRE

Man On Trial On Theft Charge Allegations that a man had broken into a house shortly before it caught fire and stole a suitcase full of goods were made in the Supreme Court yesterday when the man appeared before Mr Justice Haggitt and a jury on a charge of breaking apd entering and theft. The accused. William Charles Kidd, was charged alternatively with the theft of liquor, clothing and other goods of the total value of £34 17s 6d. the property of Peter and Anthoula Pavlides. He was represented by Mr B. J. Drake. ’ About 7 p.m. on December 6 the fire brigade was called to a fire at 231 Marine Parade. NewBrighton. said the Crown Prosecutor (Mr P. T. Mahon). About £l5OO worth of damage was done to the house. The next day the owner found that although the house had been secured before the fire some goods were missing from three of the rooms. Up till noon on the day of the fire painters had been working on the property and when they left they locked all the doors and windows except for the kitchen window, the sill of which had just been painted. The day after the fire it was found that some new paint had> been rubbed off the window sill, said Mr Mahon. It seemed that the person who had taken the goods had been responsible for the fire. The accused, however, was not charged with arson. Kidd had been seen in the vicinity of the house just before the fire and was seen leaving the house carrying a suitcase a short time before the brigade had been called. A man had been seen later carrying a suitcase into a house halfway along Oram avenue—about where the accused was living at the time. A few days after the fire the accused was interviewed by a detective, said Mr Mahon. At first he denied knowledge of the missing goods—but later admitted having property from the burnt house in his possession. He said it was buried in the backyard of the house where he was living in Oram avenue; it was recovered from the garden by the police. He told the police that on the day of the fire he had been drinking and did not know ’where he had been, but about midnight he had “come to” at home and found the suitcase in his possession. “It is alleged that the accused took this property from the house at 231 Marine parade and buried it when he became aware of the consequences.’’ Mr Mahon said. If the jury accepted Kidd’s story about “coming to’’ at home and finding himself with the stolen goods he should be convicted of theft only and not breaking and entering. The trial will continue this morning.