Gaol for theft, burglary

Press, 14 August 1976, Page 5

Gaol for theft, burglary

A man who stole a car, stripped it, and committed two burglaries was gaoled for 18 months by Mr Justice Somers in the Supreme Court yesterday. The man, Graham Malcolm Smith, aged 22, unemployed, pleaded guilty to charges of stealing a 1957 Hudson Rambler car valued at $7OO, the property of John Anthony Ross, on February 15, and to burglary of the premises of Blake Broth-

ers, Hasketts Road, on February 16 and 17. Evidence was given in the Magistrate’s Court that Mr Ross left his car on the side of the Main South Road near Templeton, after it threw a conrod through the side of the motor while he was travelling from Timaru to Christchurch. The car was later found stripped in Ruapuna Park. Parts of the vehicle were recovered from a house in Momorangi Crescent. On the first occasion, the contractor’s premises were broken into and 21 gallons of petrol and a drum of oil were stolen. On the next i night nothing was taken because fuses had been rei moved. Mr D. H. Stringer, for the prisoner, said that Smith ihad just gone along with the : offence, which had been (committed for the benefit of his brother-in-law who had a car of the same type as was stolen. Smith had been led into the offence. Although Smith was of ‘limited intelligence he had (the ability to work. The probation officer saw hopeful signs in his behaviour, Mr Stringer said. His Honour said that he had no doubt that Smith was a participant in the theft of the car in the real (sense. On two successive nights he had broken into a contractor’s yard. On the first occasion he had stolen petrol and oil and on the second occasion he was pre- ! vented from stealing anything because of the precautions taken by the owners.

Smith had a number of convictions, including two I for burglary. In September, 11975, he had been put on 'probation and was ordered

to do community work but had never completed the community work. On April 15, Smith was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment for breach of probation. “These are serious offences and a prison sentence must be imposed,” said his Honour.