Youths convicted of burglary

Press, 12 April 1984, Page 13

Youths convicted of burglary

Greymouth reporter A spate of burglaries in West Coast resort areas last month led to the appearance of two young Canterbury men in the District Court at Greymouth yesterday before Judge Fogarty. Alvan Mark Gilbert, aged 18, unemployed, of Cust, and Adrian John Martin Hassall, aged 18, unemployed, of Rangiora, faced charges of breaking and entering a house in Luggate on March 17, the Three Mile Domain Board Hall near Hokitika on March 22, unlawfully taking a Land-Rover valued at $lO,OOO, at Kumara on March 28, breaking and entering four holiday homes at Lake Kaniere, and the Lake Lodge Hall on March 23, and three holiday homes at Iveagh Bay on Lake Brunner on March 29 and 30.

Hassall (Mr P. A. Wetherall) and Gilbert (Mr N. F. J.

Thinn) pleaded guilty to all charges. Sergeant P. M. Stevens said that the defendants had travelled to Otago from Cust looking for work, and the offending started when they ran out of money. In one of the houses at Lake Kaniere a fire extinguisher had been used to spread foam on the carpet, and in others food was taken. A total of $782 worth of damage was caused to the converted vehicle. She said that one of the defendants was found outside and the other inside a house at Iveagh Bay. Their explanation was that they only broke in to obtain food because they were hungry and had no money. Both were convicted and remanded to the District Court at Christchurch for probation reports and sentence on April 26. Each was granted bail of $750.