FROZEN POULTRY STOLEN

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 12, 8 October 1921, Page 3

FROZEN POULTRY STOLEN

SIXTEEN CHARGES ADMITTED. Cecil Glen Alic Rossiter was charged in the Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, before Messrs-. J. Ellison and I. Salek, J.P.’s- —(1) That on divers dates between March 24 and September 16, 1921, he stole 63 cases of poultry, value .6292 6s. 9d., the property of Charles S. Clarke; (2) that on or about April 20. 1921, ha made -a false document, an order for certain goods purporting to bo signed by Charles S. Clarke, knowing it to bo false, with the intention that it should be acted upon as genuine. There were fourteen other allegations of forgery of documents. Charles Samuel Clarke said he was a poulterer in business in Molesworth Street. The poultry, which he purchased from various people, was first taken to the shop, weighed, and numberea, and a record taken. Those not immediately required wore packed in craies and sent to the Co-operative Dairy Producers’ Freezing Company, in Waterloo Quay, to be kept in cold store. The number on each crate was recorded m his book before being sent to the freezer. The.accused was in his employ for two years, and was in the habit of carrying the crates from the shop to the freezing chamber. When witness required any of the crates he made out an order in duplicate, specifying the number or numbers. When a large number of crates were required witness employed an expressman. On September 19 witness sent accused to the Freezing Company to procure eleven crates of poultry. He was sent about 1 o’clock, and at i o’clock he had not returned. On going to the freezing store witness found the accused’s bicycle there and the place locked up. On the following day witness went down to get some poultry and then discovered that 63 cases oi poultry which should have been in the freezer were not there. Sixty-one of the Pises had been delivered to the freezer and taken oat again. The total value of the 63 cases of poultry was .£292 6s. 9d. The fifteen orders produced did not boar witness’s signature, and he had not authorised any person to sign his name. Thomas M. Wood said he was foreman of the Co-operative Freezing Works in Waterloo Quay, and was in charge of the storage. The crates of poultry received from Clarke, were numbered for Identification purposes. The accused usually brought Clarke’s cases of poultry, and also received delivery on presenting Clarke’s signed order. ' Detective Walsh said ho interviewed accused on September 23. when accused made a statement in which he admitted having stolen the poultry at the rate, ot about three cases per week. He said that he sold the poultry to three different restaurant-keepers in Wellington. The accused pleaded guilty to all the charges and was committed to the Supreme .Court for sentence.