THEFTS IN CITY

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 88, 12 January 1928, Page 8

THEFTS IN CITY

CARPENTER, ADMITb CHARGES OVER =£7oo INVOLVED A plea of guilty to two charges of breaking and entering and theft of goods to a total value of 41715 was entered by Frederick John Deen Board, a carpenter, aged 46, in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday. Mr. E. Page, S.M., was on the Bench. It was stated by Detective-Sergeant Holmes that accused had been stealing for over two years from two firms in town and had taken away the stolen goods and stored them. Just before Christmas,’ 1926 and 1927, he sent them to an auction room and advertised a sale of Christmas toys and novelties, etc. Following inquiries made to the police, Detectives Jarrold and Kearney located the goods to the value of over 41600. The detectives’ office yesterday had the appearance of a showroom of a fancy goods shop. were two rooms full of boxes, cases, and packages. 'There were fountain pens, toy windmills, furs, rug.-, pencils, toy pens and hosts of other articles, which will be returned to their respective owners. Accused had made the cases in which they were stored. Orlando Dryden, assistant manager of Excelsior Supply Co., 86 Manners Street, said that for about two years lies had been missing stock from the premises. Recently he examined a quantify of goods at the Detectives’ Office and identified them, many bearing his firm’s marks, and others being goods for which his firm is the sole New Zealand agent. Subsequently more goods were identified. Witness stated that accused lived in a workshop at the back of the premises. He had occasionally been employed for casual labour. "Frederick H. Townsend, of the fir» of Townsend and Paul, said that in December, 1926, he hid sold by auction toys and other goods on behalf of accused, the total amount realised being .£lO3 3s. 2<l. On December 16 and 21. 1927, his firm also auctioned toys for accused, the amount realised being .£49 os. 9<l. A further sale was to have taken place on December 23, but those toys were taken possession of by the police. William H. Terry, secretary to the firm of J. L. Lennnrd, Ltd., Dixon Street, indent merchants, stated that he had identified goods to the value of £ll7 16s. 2d. at the Detectives' Office. These goods belonged to his firm. Accused had no authority to be in possession of the goods, nor had he any authority to enter the firm’s premises after business hours. Detective Kearney stated that he had interviewed accused, who said that he had been out of work for six months. Some time ago he was commissioned to fit a now lock on the door of the warehouse of the Excelsior Supply Company. and that he had retained one of the keys, which he subsequently used to enter the nremisos on several dreasions, when he stole tovs, pens, and noncils. Accused also informer! witness that he also possessed keys to the premises of J. L. Leonard and Co.. Dixon Street, and that he had stolen goods from there. . .

accused, who was renresenfod by Mr. J. F. B. Wallace, pleaded guilty to both offences, and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. Bail was refused.