A TRIO OF YOUNG THIEVES

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 260, 28 July 1921, Page 7

A TRIO OF YOUNG THIEVES

LONG SERIES OF BURGLARIES HOUSES ENTERED IN CITY AND SUBURBS Before Mr. J. S. Evans, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday, Charles Norris, sixteen years of age (represented bv Mr. W. E. Leicester), Herbert How-, land Crawford, 17 years (Mr. A. B. Sievwright). and Leo Patrick Ellison, 18 rears (Air. I’. W. Jackson) had ten charges of breaking and entering, and theft preferred against them. The total value of tin) property and money stolen was £39 Is. 6d. Acting-Chief-De-toctivo Andrews appeared for tho prosecution. Tho lads pleaded guilty to all the charges. They covered a wide field in their operations, and during last month broke into about fourteen or fifteen houses by day. Ellison had been in town for about four weeks, and first met his school mate Norris. Gn Juno 17, Crawford, another school mate, joined them, and on the following .-.day they operated in Koiburn Parade, where they broke into the house of L. 1). Hurst and secured 30s. in money and two pairs of socks. Norris did the burgling, while the other two kept watch. Thon followed a series of such burglaries. At Hataitai. in a street near the top of the hill going towards the slip from Boyd's store, thev entered a house, or, rather, Norris did, and here they obtained -CD 2s. 6d. in money, besides goods. Hataitai was the scene of their depredations on three other occasions. From a house on. the hill hear the tunnel, which Norris and Crawford entered, they stole a silver wristlet watch, cigars, and matches. Two houses were entered on Konini Hoad bv the same two lads, from the first of which they obtained some half-crowns and a razor, and from tho second £3 in money. At Island Bay thev broke into u house near the tram stop, the booty obtained hero being- a .-Cl note and a 10s. note. A visit was made to a house on tho Terence near Ghuzneo Street, but they were poorly paid for their venture, for they got 7d. only. From a house in Nairn Street thev secured a Post Office money-box containing 40s. They then went on io Brooklyn, and secured another 20s. The next day they invaded Wadestown, and drew a prize in the way of a £5 note. From a house in Majoribanks Street thev made away with a razor, a book, some cigarettes, and a tin money-box containing pennies. Two houses in Island Bay were entered, one In CookStreet and the other in Ross Street. From the former a hurried exit was made, for they discovered a man in bed. but from the house in Ross Street they got away with 295. A house in Onslow Terrace was also broken into, hut tho bootv consisted of a bunch of kevs and a little box representing a set of books. Tho lads were committed to the Supreme Court for sentence on each of the ten charges.