YOUTH'S CRIMES

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 115, 12 November 1930, Page 13

YOUTH'S CRIMES

JEWEL ROBBERY

COMMITTED FOR SENTENCE

As a result of the arrest of Edward Gammon Ellen in the shop of Lloyd's, jewellers, in Cuba street, shortly after midnight one night recently, several other robberies were cleared up. When Ellen, described as a hotel porter, aged 21, appeared before Mr. E. Page; S.M., to-day, he admitted breaking and entering Lloyd's shop and stealing jewellery and precious stones of a total value of £210. He also pleaded guilty to breaking and entering the countinghouse of the State Coal Depot in Herd street - and stealing cheque forms, keys, stamps, cigarette certificates,..and other goods of a total value of £9, and stealing a gold watch and a quantity of rough pearb, of a total value of £33, the property of the New Zealand Government. John Sheedy, a nightwatehman, said that about 11.30 p.m., while he was doing his rounds, he flashed his electric torch through the glass door of Lloyd's jeweller's shop in Cuba street. He saw a man's legs hanging down from a beam in the light-well of the shop. He signalled a constable, and while the premises were surrounded by the police he kept watch on the front! of the shop. The. accused was arrested, on the roof. Erie John Lloyd, the manager of the shop, said that as far as he . knew everything that had been stolen ivas r»eovered. A skylight in the roof of the workshop had been broken and the contents of the workshop strcwiiI'about. ■'■',•■ ■ William John Phillips, the actingdirector of the Dominion Museum, said that on 31st October, from something he was told, he examined,a glass ease in the Museum and found a gold watch and a glass of rough pearls had been stolen. Constable L. T. Webby gave details of the arrest of the accused. He and I Constable Grant climbed on to the roof of the shop by means of a ladder. They found the accused hiding behind a light-well on the roof. The accused said: "All right. I'm" the fellow you're looking for. I won't make a fuss." When searched at Taranaki Street Police Station all the jewellery identified by Mr. Lloyd was found on the accused, as weir as fifteen blank cheque-forms, some keys, and a sovereign case. The accused admitted stealing all these articles. Detective E. C. Jarrold said that on ■ 31st October last he searched the room occupied by the accused in Thorndon Quay. Here the accused handed over the bottle of pearls and other articles. In statements which he made admitting all tho offences, the accused said that he was climbing over a beam into the main- shop from the workshop in Lloyd's premises," when a torch was flashed on to him.' Ellen was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. ■