THEFT CHARGES

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 40, 15 August 1918, Page 3

THEFT CHARGES

MISSING CARBURETTORS

Messrs. J. W, Ellison and I. Salek, J.P.s, sat in the Magistrate's Court yesterday, when Ernest Nesbitt was charged with the theft of six carburrettors, value £54, the property of E. Reynolds and Co., Wellington.

• Chief-Detective Boddam prosecuted and Mr. H. F. O'Leary appeared for the accused. Edward Reynolds, principal in the firm of E. Reynolds and Co., motor importers, said that Nesbifct had been in the firm's employ for about ten years. For the past two years he had been thoir town traveller. On 26th July witness discovered a shortage of eleven carburettors as compared with the stock sheet of 30th June. He identified the six carburettors produced as the firm's property. There was no record in tho firm's books of those articles having been sold. He spoke to accused about the sth inst. Accused said he had taken the carburettors away, and intended to raise some money on them, but that it was his intention to return them. He said he had sold them to a man named Rosenberg. He did not tell Rosenberg- where they .came from; Rosenberg might have understood they came from another source.

Herbert Atkinson, head storeman for Ingles Brothers, said that on 30th July he purchased a carburettor from Edward Rosenberg, cycle dealer, Manners-street for £7 2s 6d.

Laurence Fisher said that in July last he was employed by the Motor Import Company. He bought five carburettors from Rosenberg for £26. He identified one of those produced as one that he purchased.

Accused pleaded guilty, and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.

CHARGE OF RECEIVING.

Edward Rosenberg, cycle dealer, Man-ners-street, was then charged with receiving the carburettors ' in, question, knowing them to have been stolen. Chief Detective Boddam prosecuted, and Mr. H. F. O'Leary appeared for the accused. Edward Reynolds said his firm had done business with accused for a number of years. He always paid by cheque payable to the firm of Reynolds and Co.

Detective Torrance said that accused when arrested admitted buying the carburettors from Nesbitt for £4 each, arid had resold them for £5 10s each. He had no idea they were stolen.

For the defence, Albert Broe, a youth in accused's employ, said he was present when Nesbitt asked Rosenberg if he wanted to purchase .any carburettors, and what price he could sell them at. The next day Nesbitt called with the carburettors, and said he had purchased them from Mr. Woodcott, of Vivianstreet. The carburettors were then placed in the shop window.

After hearing further evidence on similar lines, the Bench dismissed the case.

A SECOND CHARGE AGAINST

NESBITT.

A second charge preferred against Nesbitt was that he had failed to account for £2,55, the property of Reynolds and Co.

Claude Jupp, letter-carrier, said that on 26th July he went to the warehouse of E. Reynolds and Co., and purchased a motor-cycle lamp from Nesbitt, and paid him £2 ss. At the same time he gave an order for carbide, but did not pay for it.

. Edward Reynolds, of the firm of E. Reynolds, and Co., said accused had not accounted for the. £2 5s for the sale of the lamp. There was no record of it, though there was an order for a tin of carbide on the day in question. Accused gave evidenco on his own behalf. He said he made out an order (produced) for both the lamp and the carbide, but as Jupp did'not come in he put the order arid the £2 5s in the pocket of his overcoat, where they were found when the overcoat was brought home by his 'father.

John Henry Nesbitt, father of the accused, said that after the arrest he took homo his son's coat from the office, and later saw his son with the docket and the £2 ss.

Accused- pleaded not guilty, and was committed for trial, bail being 'allowed in a personal bond of £25 and two sureties of £25 each.