Thieves Wheeled Safe Along Street

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30498, 21 July 1964, Page 20

Thieves Wheeled Safe Along Street

t.Veto Zealand Press Association) NEW PLYMOUTH, July 20. Three Eltham drainage contractors had carried out an audacious theft when they stole a safe from a wine and spirit merchant’s and wheeled it through the streets of Eltham on a trolley in the early hours of Saturday morning, Detective-Sergeant G. Hogan told Mr A. W. Yortt, S.M., today.

Crowded into the dock were six Eltham men, who admitted charges concerned with the burglary of Fraser Hughes and Company, Ltd., Bridge street, Eltham, on Friday night and early Saturday morning.

Jointly charged with breaking and entering were John Roger Hihi, aged 19, Thompson Bishop, aged 17, and Joseph Davey, aged 36. Also charged separately with breaking and entering was Haehae Operua Hepi, aged 21. David Martin West, aged 18, was charged with assisting to remove the safe from Eltham to Mangamingi, where it was pushed over a bank to conceal it, and Paul Robinson, aged 28, faced two charges of receiving £1 and 10s, knowing it to have been dishonestly obtained. The Magistrate fined Robinson £7 10s on each charge, admitted him to probation for 12 months, and ordered restitution of the £1 10s received. The other five were remanded in custody to appear for sentence on Friday. Took Liquor

Mr Hogan said that at 5.15 p.m. last Friday the premises of the wine and spirit merchant were securely closed. The next day the manager found that the premises had been entered A quantity of liquor, a safe and wooden trolley had been stolen. The six defendants were interviewed at Eltham, and they admitted being responsible for the burglary. Mr Hogan said that Hihi, Bishop and Davey went to the store shortly before midnight last Friday. They forced open the rear door and took a quantity of liquor, which they stacked in the back of the premises. They also took £8 from the till

The liquor was taken back to Hihi’s place. There, Hepi (who was in bed) was advised that the trio had broken into the store. He then went back with Bishop and Davey. They again gained entrance to the store by the back door. The door was smashed with an axe and a bar. To remove the safe the counter was also

smashed with the axe, Mr Hogan said. The trio placed the safe on a wooden hand trolley and wheeled it from the premises, along York street, past the fire-station, and took it to Hihi’s place. The safe was dropped behind a shed and partly opened with an axe. On Saturday West helped them take the safe to Mangamingi in his car. The safe was forced open to get at any money left inside, then pushed over a bank, Mr Hogan said.

West used his car willingly and drove the offenders to the Mangamingi Saddle. He was aware that he was assisting them to hide evidence of the burglary, Mr Hogan said. The safe was destroyed beyond repair. In it had been £26 in cash and two cheques, one of which had been recovered. The burglary was made to obtain more liquor, Mr Hogan said, but when the safe was seen the offenders decided to return and steal it.