Theft of car parts denied

Press, 21 December 1976, Page 4

Theft of car parts denied

Because the exhibits — 69 car parts and accessories — were too numerous and cumbersome to produce as evidence in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday, the Court adjourned to Blenheim .Road to view the exhibits.

The exhibits were produced at the premises of South Island Auto Wreckers, in Blenheim Road, during the taking of depositions into a case against Terence James Wright, aged 28, who is charged with theft of the parts, worth $1922, from the firm of wreckers, while he was working for them.

The Court was driven to Blenheim Road during the morning session of the Court after some verbal evidence was heard.

The depositions are before Messrs E. J. Bradshaw and H. A. R. Tullett, Justices of the Peace.

Sergeant R. H. Prouting said that the Court had no facilities to store the 69 exhibits.

Some of the property was found at Wright’s home and some was at his brother’s house, he said.

Wright’s brother, Wayne Samuel Wright, said that the police visited his home in Linwood Avenue on November 25.

The police had taken away a quantity of car parts and accessories which were in his garage. “My brother brought a lot of these car parts to my place,” Mr Wayne Wright said. “He just used to come inside and get the keys to the garage and put bits and pieces in there.” He said his brother had told him he got the parts from “doing deals.” “He said that the wrecking company he worked for

wasn’t interested in certain parts.’’ witness said. Bruce Robert McCormick,: manager of South Island Auto! Wreckers, said that Wright was employed by the firm. from April to November, [ 1976. Witness found that car parts were missing. After Wright was away from work Mr McCormick said that he went to Wright’s home in Stanmore Road to see how he was getting on. There was nobody home and he saw tyres and wheel as-! semblies belonging to his j company. Later witness identified a number of car parts in a garage in Linwood Avenue. as being the property of his! firm. Wright had a set of keys | to the firm’s premises. Detective Sergeant Thomas i James Gorman said that! Wright had told him that the 12 tyres and wheel assemblies at his home had been purchased through newspaper advertisements. He denied stealing them from his employer. After the taking of depo-! sitions had been completed! Wright was committed for; trial at the next session of! the Supreme Court.