JAIL FOR MOTOR-CAR CONVERSION

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 104, 26 January 1939, Page 3

JAIL FOR MOTOR-CAR CONVERSION

Two Men Sentenced How a motor-car converted in Petone by two men travelled at high speed through Wellington streets was described by Detective-Sergeant P. McLennan in the Magistrates’ Court, Wellington, yesterday, when Harold Beggs, labourer, aged 34, and Conrad Thomas Neiling, labourer, aged 29, pleaded guilty to the unlawful conversion of a motor-car, the property of Alfred John Ruegg. “This offence must be punished by imprisonment,’’ said Mr. J. H. Luxford, S.M., sentencing each of the accused to six months' imprisonment with hard labour. The detective-sergeant, said the .ear was converted on the night of January 17, and the Central Police Station was advised. A detective and constables set out in a police ear and noticed a vehicle answering the missing car's description coming from the direction o£ Petone. The police car turned and gave chase. Accused was arrested after travelling at a high speed through the city streets. _ “I would stress the seriousness of this matter.” said the detective-sergeant. “The car was driven at 70 miles an hour.” Mr. R. Hardie Boys, who appeared for the accused, asked the magistrate to dismiss the sliced of the car, because if any offence had been committed in that respect it would be dealt with in a further charge. The magistrate: I agree with that. Counsel added no damage had been done to the ear, and though both men had previous convictions, some time had elapsed since they were last before the court.