THEFT BY NIGHT

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 148, 19 March 1931, Page 11

THEFT BY NIGHT

City Shop Entered TRACED BY RUG Police Court Hearing A plea of guilty was entered by Norman Graham McKenzie, aged 20, publisher, before Mr. T. B. McNeil, S.AI., in the Police Court yesterday, to a charge of breaking and entering on December 17 last the shop of Vance A ivian Ltd. and stealing clothing and other gooffs of a total value of £9B/2/-. He was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. Evidence was given that a hole had been cut in the wall alongside the lock in the back door of the shop, enabling the lock to be turned and the bolt to be drawn. Detective Harding deposed that a rug, part of the stolen property, bad been sold to a seeond-hand dealer by accused In his own name. Witness and ActingDetective Campbell visited accused at Island Bay on February 24, when accused said the rug had been - lent to him by a man named Murphy. That evening accused admitted the whole affair to Constable Baker and showed him where some of the stolen property was concealed. Accused made a statement to witness in which he said that Murphy had suggested to him that they break and enter the shop and accused had agreed. On January 12, said witness, Murphy had been sentenced to two years’ Borstal detention for another offence, which was the reason why he was not before the court on the present charge. Evidence that AlcKenzie had borne an excellent character was given by accused’s Bail" was allowed in the sum of £2OO, with one surety of a similar amount. Remands Granted Peter AleCombie. aged 19, waiter, and Kenneth Murray White, aged 20, motor driver, were charged with stealing a motor-cycle, value £l2O, and a coat, value 30/-, the property of Walter Henry Vickers. They were remanded for a week. John Cameron, aged 61, labourer was remanded until March 25 On a charge of being ndle and disorderly with insufficient lawful means of sunport.