ALLEGED THEFT FROM HOUSE

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 121, 17 February 1944, Page 3

ALLEGED THEFT FROM HOUSE

Two Men To Be Tried

A story of how 51 Thompson Street, Wellington, was entered on January 7 last, and goods to the value of £4OO removed while the occupier of the house was on holiday, was related m the Magistrates’ Court, Wellington, yesterday, when Frederick George Phillip Lester, ship's fireman and labourer, aged 38, and Basil George Kuox, labourer and butcher, aged 32, were jointly charged with breaking and cnteringdhe dwellinghouse of Roslyn Harwell Wentworth Howard, and committing theft. Mr. Stout, S.M., was on the Bench; Detective-Sergeant J. Thompson con ducted the prosecution, and Mr. u. i. Joseph appeared for both accused. Roslyn Howard, the occupier o ol Thompson Street, said 'hat he and his wife loft on a holiday on Deeembei -b last, leaving the house securely locked up. On their return on January JI, they found that the house bad been broken into by forcing a front bedroom window, and goods to the value of approximately £4OO had been removed. Jhe goods missing included an Indian carpet valued at £5O; a man’s overcoat, £2l; five suits of clothes, £5l; a radiogram, iov, a silver tea service, £5O; and a musquash fur coat, £l.OO. In addition, blankets, boots, shoes, gloves, and other articles of clothing had been taken. John Hall, student, residing at oo Thompson Street, said that Howard had asked him to keep an eye on his house while he was on holiday. On the morning of January 7 he saw a ,ninu come atvay from the back door of No. di, and called out to him that nobody was at home. The man waved to him, and passed round to the front of the house. He identified this man as Knox. Mrs. Elizabeth Adams, residing at bs Thompson Street, said that on January 7 last she saw’a pinkish-coloured motorferry come down Thompson Street and stop opposite No. 51. Two men got out of the lorry, and went into the bouse, bbe identified one of these men as Lester, whom she saw go up to the bouse, and knock at a side door. Some time later she heard a noise, at the lorry, and saw a wireless set being thrown into it. Mrs. Minnie Simpson Paterson, -la Thompson Street, said she was m her garden on. the afternoon of January (, and saw two men come down the street carrying carpels. When opposite her place, the men placed the carpets on the pavement, rolled them up. and, after shouldering the rolls, proceed down the street. She would not be able to identify the'men. . n , „ Mrs. Ellen Ryan, widow, 108 lory Street, said that Knox had boarded at her house for a week. On the morning of January 7 she tidied up his room as usual, but the following morning, saw a quantity of goods in the room which had not been there the previous day. Jhe goods included some carpets, a quantity of valuable silverware, a man’s overcoat and a suitcase. On looking into the suitcase she found that it contained a brownish suit, and a number of coathangers. Kuox came into the room and asked her what she thought the value of the goods would be. She replied that she did not know, as she had nothing to do with them. A car pulled up opposite her house that day and two men came into Knox's room and took the articles away with. them. She heard Knox say. to the other man. “We had better be going and take this stolen property with us.” She found .three coathaugers in Knox’s rbom after he had left, and handed them to Dpfpctivp Altv. Cross-examined by Mr. Joseph, witness said she was positive that Knox had used the words “stolen property.” Mrs. Blanche Heath, widow, residing in Tiuui Road, Hataitai, said that both accused had boarded at her house for a time. She had noticed in the room they occupied a brown Harris tweed sports coat. 1 Detective J. Alty said that, when interviewed, Lester said he knew nothing about goods which were alleged to have been taken from 51 Thompson Street. Witness got Mr. Howard to go to Lestei’s rooms, and Howard identified the hat Lester was wearing as his (Howard’s) property.. Lester said he had bought the bat from Knox. ’ A search of Lester’s room was made, and three handkerchiefs, a shirt, and a grey felt hat were found, all of which were identified by Howard as his property. Lester said the articles belonged to Knox. When interviewed. Kiiox said he had never seen the articles which had been found in Lester's room, and said he knew nothing about a burglary at 51 Thompson Street. Knox said he would deiiy that he had had anything,in' h|s room at 168 Tory Street.

Accused pleaded not guilty, reserved their defence, and were committed to the Supreme Court for trial. Bail was renewed in personal bonds or £l5O each, and two sureties of £75 each.