Prison escaper in burglary

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33933, 28 August 1975, Page 14

Prison escaper in burglary

<.ve«c Zeolond Press Association

TIMARU. August 27. One of three burglars who stole more lhan 810.000 worth of cigarettes from a Washdyke warehouse was an escaper from Paparua Prison, the Timaru Magistrate's Court was told today.

Stephen Charles Goddard.' •Red 25. a prisoner, admitted taking the cigarettes from the Hilton Highwav premises of. Foodstuffs (Christchurch). Ltd. on August 24. after escaping from Paparua Prison on August 11. Eric Raymond Taylor, aged 20. a process worker, also pleaded guiltv to burgling the warehouse and wilfullv damaging police property to the value of 864. Both men were convicted and remanded in; custody to next Fridav for sentence. Sergeant C. S. Woodlev said that at 3.20 a.m. on August 24 it was discovered, that the Foodstuffs warehouse had been broken into.: A rear window was smashed ■ The padlock on the cigarette room had been forced’ and 810.293 worth of cigarettes was missing. Attempts had been made to carry the cigarettes out through the rear window, but this was unsuccessful and a rear door

j had been forced. Fires hadj I also been lit in several parts •of the building. f, A van driven by Goddard i . was . later stopped bv police •'in Barnard Street. Timaru. iHe was accompanied by Tavlor. and a 14-year-old I State ward. Cigarettes worth > 87980 were recovered. i Sergeant Woodlev said ■ that Goddard had recently • been sentenced in the Inveri cargill Supreme Court to five itvears’ imprisonment for ag- ■ qravated robbery and to two two-vear terms for burglary.. He said that after being j II apprehended. Taylor was: enlaced in an interview room’ m the police station and| . watched. About 30 minutes: later, he demanded to be re-| ■ leased and when told that he; I'would be interviewed in five, • minutes, became violent and ; fried to break a glass win-, : low. He then tried to smash: 1 the wooden door, kicking ini - two panels and throwing the' r chair into the room.