WAREHOUSE THEFT

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 222, 15 June 1932, Page 10

WAREHOUSE THEFT

Men Before the Court RECEIVING CHARGES Yesterday’s Police Cases Men connected with the theft of liquor and tobacco and cigarettes from the warehouse of W. D. Dobson and Co., Ltd., wine and spirit merchants, 58 Taranaki Street, on Saturday night, and its subsequent disposal, appeared before the Police Court yesterday. They were: — Robert William Miller, labourer, aged 31, and Arthur Cornelius Drummond, taxi-driver, aged 25, who were charged with breaking and entering the premises, and stealing liquor and cigarettes valued at £37/13/2. Jack Dingle, cook, aged 26, who was charged with receiving from Reginald Bloomfield liquor valued at £l/12/-, knowing it to have been dishonestly obtained; and Francis Leo Hoare, tobacconist, aged 29, who was charged with receiving tobacco and cigarettes valued at £23 from Reginald Bloomfield and George James Frederick Ferguson, knowing them to have been dishonestly obtained. Dingle, who pleaded guilty, was admitted to probation for 12 months by Mr. E. Page, S.M., while the other three men were remanded until June 22, bail of £2OO, with a surety of like amount, being allowed in each case. Detective-Sergeant Revell said that Dingle had been friendly for some time with Bloomfield and Ferguson, who had been arrested in connection - with the warehouse burglary on June 11, and on the morning after he had four bottles of liquor in his possession. He admitted the offence with which be was charged when approached by detectives. Counsel for accused said that his client, who was a cripple on account of having been in a motor accident two years ago, did not pause to consider if the liquor had been stolen, or how it had been received. He submitted that the present charge was not a serious one of its kind. The magistrate then admitted accused to probation for 12 months. Theremaining three men, Miller, Drummond and Hoare were formally remanded until June 22 next, bait being allowed in each case. Charge Dismissed A charge of being an idle and disorderly person, in that he had no lawful and visible means of support, preferred against Philip Gordon Brazier, aged 25, who appeared on remand, was dismissed by the magistrate. Evidence showed, the magistrate said, that about two years ago Brazier had arrived in New Zealand as a stowaway, and since then had had substantially no work. On his own estimate he thought that with odd jobs be might have done three months. The police, the magistrate continued, described him as a professional loafer, and one policeman said that he was idle and would not work, and his idea was to incite disorder. It appeared that Brazier, when in prison some time ago, had written to his parents in England, and in consequence some money was sent to him. With that money he had been able to pay his board since coming out of prison. “In view of . that fact, I think I am not able to hold that at the period in question—at the time of his arrest and at the time of his coming before the court—that he is without lawful means of support. Therefore,” he said, “the present charge will have to be dismissed.” Three Months’ Imprisonment Charles Leslie Ling, aged 33, appeared on three charges, (a) of drunkenness, (b) of a breach of his probation order, and (c) of failing to comply with the terms of his release from gaol on a probationary license. “This man was released on probation from a term of imprisonment, and has failed to comply with the terms of his release,” the magistrate said. “He will be sentenced to three months’ imprisonment, and on the other charges he will be convicted and discharged. ( Remands Granted Charged with breaking and entering the premises of Dr. Murdo Mcßae, 9 Woodward Street, with intent to commit a crime, Lawrence Daniel O’Neal Francis, alias Charles Frederick 1 Hayward, alias Charles Hayes, steward, aged 21, was remanded until June 22.

Henry Victor Elwyn Spedding, salesman, aged 34, was remanded to appear at Dunedin to-morrow, on a charge of stealing a vacuum cleaner, valued at £9, the property of Agnes Russell.