Boys admit burglaries at Nelson

Press, 15 April 1980, Page 4

Boys admit burglaries at Nelson

Nelson reporter • Guilty pleas to charges of the burglary of Nelson premises between November 5 last year and March 18 this vedr, were admitted by two secondary school pupi.'o in the Children and Young I Persons’ Court, Nelson, yesterday. One boy, aged 16 admitted 11 charges of burglary which involved the theft of property valued at $9726 and a boy, aged 15, admitted the ‘burglary of 10 premises involving the theft of property I worth $3733, before Judge K. , H. J. Headifen. The same ] charges were made against each boy in respect of much of the property involved. A»j well, counsel for the

16-year-old pleaded not guilty to three charges and ho pleas were made on two charges against the 15-year-old. A third boy, aged 15, was femarided ih the custody of the school for a week Without pleli bn three charges. The other two were also remanded fot a week. In the case of the 15-year-old. Judge Headifen immediately convened the District Court arid remanded him on bail for a probation officer’s report and sentence. He fixed bail at $3OO ori each charge and made a condition of bail that he continue to live with his parents in Wellington. The other boy, upon being convicted, was rettiahded for

a week in the custody of his parents, for a social welfare report and sentence. The three charges to which he pleaded not guilty will then be heard.

Sergeant P. D. Grooby said that on November 5, the two boys before the Court had gone into Nelson. They had found a screwdriver and with this they levered open a window at the Hardy Mall and stole confectionery, chocolat&s and cigarettes to the value of SBO. In the same building they had entered the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and taken calculators, parachute flares and a briefcase, valued at $623; only the briefcase had been recovered. Between that date, and February 3, they had together entered other premises and taken the following goods:— November 26, at the maintenance shed at the school, first aid kit and tools valued

at $164 (nothing recovered);! December 3, at the Theatre! Royal, property $4.80; De-! cember 3, at Yamaha Distri-j butors, Vanguard Street,! motor-cycle equipment and! clotlijng, $2219 (only $585; recovered); December 7, at I Hardy Mall, chocolates, con-1 fectionery,. cigarettes valued] at $323 (none recovered);; February 3, Hampden Street] School, $1.50 in cash. The 16-year-old had gone; to the Theatre Royal oni February 20 and taken some; military clothing used in] stage productions. This was! valued at $l2O and only $5O of this was recovered, •said] Sergeant Grooby. ; Then on March 16 he had] broken into the Yamaha dis-] tributing agency again and 1 took two motor-cycles, a 500 cc machine, valued at $2250, and a 125 cc machine, valued at $1275, and motorcycling clothing and equipment valued at $207. When he could not get the machine

l started, he abandoned them| !at the Hardy Mall and re- t turned and took another jf ;machine, a 250 cc motor-cycle’s (valued at $1450. This was re-|l (covered by the police at the.} ’school later, said Sergeant!. ] Grooby. i The other boy on the ]night of December 7 broke! (into the Theatre Royal and] ] took a cheque book valued at; isl which was recovered by jtlie police. On March 18, (wanting petrol for the motor- | cycle he had broken into the 3 1 maintenance shed at thejj (school and took petrol and|( •six bottles, of beer to the v :value of $12.60 and later; f (broke into Blackmore’s (market and stole goods to’j |the value of $305, of which j '5242 Worth of goods was j recovered. t The 16-year-old’s share of f restitution’ of unrecovered d property amounted to $1240 and the other youth’s share a Was $1039, said Sergeant Grooby. L

The stolen property had been hidden in three different places around the school, and some of this had been stolen from the hiding places by others, he said.