ON WHOLESALE SCALE

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 51, 28 August 1926, Page 19

ON WHOLESALE SCALE

THEFTS BY YOUTHFUL GANG

"SILENT FIVE" SENT TO BORSTAL

INSTITUTE.

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

DANNEVIRKE, 27th August.

The doings of a band of boys whom the police stated were known as "The Silent Five" were investigated in the Magistrate's Court to-day before Mr. J. L. Hewitt, S.M. The "case disclosed a rather startling Btate of crime on a wholesale scale.

The youths concerned in crimes attributed to 'ffihe Silent Five" were:—Reginald Karney, who on a charge of theft was remanded till the next sitting of the Court for inquiries to be made concerning him. Edward Powell Nicholas, who had nine charges preferred against him, two of theft, two of attempted breaking and entering, five of breaking, entering, and theft (three times at one place). William John Steel, one charge of attempted breaking and entering, two of breaking, entering, and theft, and one of theft. John Edward Phillips, one charge of theft, three o£ breaking, entering, and theft. Harold Sydney Chandler, two charges of breaking, entering, and theft. Charges of attempted breaking and entering were withdrawn.

The premises burglarised were business places in High street, belonging to Richard Bartlett (bootmaker), Leith Hooper (hairdresser), and Frederick Keen (hairdresser). Senior-Sergeant O'Hara said the accused had become launched on a career of crime, and it was hard to say what would have happened had it not been arrested. He could not recommend probation. All the accused were committed to the Borstal institution, to be detained for a period not exceeding three years, istrate considering this the best course to adopt in the interests of the community and of the accused.

Garth Francis Durrant, another youth, appeared on four charges of theft, one of which he admitted. He also was committed to three years' detention in the Borstal Institute.

A Maori lad, Wirimu Porora, on four charges of breaking, entering, and theft at Kiritaki, was ordered to be handed over to the education authorities, having previously been an inmate of a receiving home under the Education Department.