CITY ROBBERIES

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 264, 3 August 1932, Page 10

CITY ROBBERIES

Two Accused in Dock ONE REVERSES PLEA Crown Case Concludes Allegations involving the breaking and entering of a Newtown grocery store and a city warehouse and the theft therefrom of goods valued at £3< is/ and £76/11/6 respectively were Sed by George James Frederick Ferguson, labourer, aged 24, and Arthur Cornelius Drummond, taxi-driver, aged 26 when they were placed on trial before his Honour Mr. Justice Reed in the Supreme Court yesterday afternoon. The case for the defence will comReginald Bloomfield, welder, aged 28, who had been “ dl c ted along with the other two accused, aSked leave to change his plea of not guilty to one of guilty on all counts. “I also wish to say, as I have in my statements, that Drummond has been an innocent victim of circumstances, he added. “I want to say this in fairness to Drummond, and I hope your Honour will pardon me for saying so. Bloomfield, who was allowed by his Honour to withdraw his plea, was then remanded for sentence. Drummond was represented by counsel and Ferguson conducted his own defence. Origin of Charges. Counsel for the Crown said the charges arose out of two burglaries one at the premises of the Self-Help Co-op. Grocery Co., Ltd., in Rintoul Street and the other at the warehouse of W. D. Dobson and Co., Ltd., wine and spirit merchants, in Taranaki Street —on June 8 and June 11 of fihis year. From the Self-Help grocery store cigarettes, tobacco, bacon and money of a total value of about £4O had been stolen. The two accused, Ferguson and Drummond, Bloomfield and John Bourne Bayliss had been charged with this burglary, to which Bloomfield and Bayliss had pleaded guilty. Liquor and cigarettes of a total value of £76/11/6 had been stolen from Dobson and Co.’s warehouse. Ferguson, Drummond, Bloomfield and Robert William Miller had been charged in connection with this robbery, Bloomfield and Miller having pleaded guilty. _ Frederick Dobson, director of Dooson and Co., Ltd., said that some of the property stolen from his warehouse had been recovered. The value of the unrecovered goods was about £35. John S. Jeiikins, manager of the Rintoul Street Self-Help Co-op. Store, said the money stolen from the shop consisted largely of small silver and pennies. The goods recovered were valued at about £29. John Alexander Mathie, taxi-driver, said that while waiting at, the Ferry Whapf at about 5 a.m. on June 8 Drummond came up in his car and told witness that he had a good job if he would drive around to Oriental Bay. Witness followed Drummond to the Evans Bay Road, where Bloomfield, Bayliss and Ferguson transferred from Drummond’s car and put three suitcases and a sugar-bag in his car. Drove Around with Three Men.

At the request of Bloomfield, Bayliss and Ferguson he drove them around until seven o’clock, being paid 15/- in advance, which was largely made up of threepences and sixpences. While they were in the car he heard them talking among themselves about having broken into some place, but he did not know where it was. Bloomfield had said he had had a hard job to break the door. On the morning of June 12 he drove Bloomfield to a house in Adelaide Road, and when invited Inside he saw some bottles of gin on the table. Cross-examined by Ferguson, witness said that Drummond appeared to be the leader of the party. Search by Detectives. » Details of a search he had made of a room booked by Bloomfield In Ghuznee Street In the name of Perry were given by Detective F. N. Robinson. There he found a quantity of liquor, which had been identified by Mr. Dobson as his property. He had also discovered skeleton keys, sticks of gelignite, detonators, a seven-chamber-ed revolver, fully loaded, and 50 rounds of ammunition. “I have not got the gelignite here, said witness, as he produced the other exhibits. His Honour: It is just as well. Detective F. Hayhurst also, gave evidence. He had arranged an identification parade at which Francis Leo Hoare, who had pleaded guilty to receiving stolen property, had picked out Bloomfield and Ferguson as the men from whom he received the goods. Evidence was also given by Detective Hall. This concluded the case for the Crown. The defence will open this morning.