DRAPERY STORES SUFFER.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1082, 22 March 1911, Page 5

DRAPERY STORES SUFFER.

FOUR, SUSPECTS ARRESTED; '• (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) ~... Dunedin, March 21. Two well-dressed ;a'nd Tes'pectable-look-ing young men were brought before the Police Court this morning on a' charge of theft of goods from retail drapery establishments in the city. Colin David M'Lean was charged with, ■ between February 1 arid February '28, stealing goods to the value of .£2O, the property of Mrsi Dreaver, by whom he was formerly employed. John Belford was charged with receiving (between March 1 and 31) two lengths of silk, valued at ,£6. knowing the same fp have -been dishonestly ■ obtained. These'last articles were alleged to have been stolen from another drapery firm in town. Belford was not employed by either of the firms in question. Chief Detective Herbert said that in the case against M'Lean there was a considerable quantity of goods to be gone through and examined, and inquiries to be made. He did not think it would be wise to say anything further about the :ase ■ at present, and he. asked for a ' remand for the longest term—eight days. Sincfc his arrest the detectives had reason to believe that the accused M'Lean regretted his action, and was willing to give ' all the assistance he could. His Worship thereupon remanded accused for eigfit days, bail being.allowed in his, own recognisances of ,£SO, and two sureties of <225 ensh. Belford was next charged, and the Chief Detective said that the same remarks applied to this case. He would ask that the case be treated in the same way. . ■ Accused was thereupon remanded for eight days, bail being allowed as in the other case; . ' ■ The police are very reticent about the matter. It is understood that they have several important investigations to make, in resnect to a large quantity of new goods which they took possession of in a house in the city. These include a miscellaneous (and by no means cheap) assortment of soft goods, boots; and shoes. Ddulton ware, and other articles which ore of sufficient bulk to fill five largo boxes. The detective office this morning resembled a trading concern with a fairly large stock. The value of the goods taken possossiou of by the detectives runs into a considerable sum, as the Doulton ware alone : is very expensive. .' ' Later. Further inquiries by the police in •coniwction with the aftged theft of goods from various firms in the city rcsnlted in the arrest of two womenFrances Elizabeth Beatrice Bell, charged that, between January 1 and February 28, she did receive certain goods of a total value of about £20, knowing the name to hayo'be*n dishonestly, obtained. Frances Elizabeth Bell, mother of the other woman, we? charged that, between •the years IROB and 1910, at Dunedin, she did steal - lJouitc.i ware and j!?.ssware veined'at jBbO, .thi> property of the Dunedin Importing Cn These charues are the £#quel to the charges against M'Lean and Belford.