MISAPPLIED CHARITY

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 91, 14 October 1931, Page 11

MISAPPLIED CHARITY

KINDNESS REPAID BY THEFT

After obtaining tho sympathy of • number of housewives with a talc that he had no money Harold Haigh Hardgrave, alias Harold King, aged 33, repaid their kindness by stealing from tneir houses. This story of misapplied benevolence was heard in the Magistrate's Court to-day when Hardgravo admitted seven charges of theft. Sub-Inspector Ward told Mr. E. Page, S.M., that tho thefts had occurred between 13th August and 30th September of this year, a total of £37 in money and goods to the value of £20 2s 9d being stolen by the accused. During this period he had visited a number of suburban houses asking permission to clean windows, saying that ho was hard up and could not get anything to do. The ladies on whom he had called had taken pity on him after hearing his story, and had allowed him into their homes to clean tho windows, and in many cases had paid him more than what ho had asked. Tho accused had taken advantage of his position and had repaid their charity in a very mean manner, for he had stolen from people who could not afford it. In one case ho had stolen £12 from a house and in another £5. He had been before the Court a number of times previously, and had only been discharged from gaol in July, the present offences commencing in August. From the dock the accused said that he could not get anything to do and all the money he had taken had either been sent Homo to his wife and children or had been used in paying board' for himself.

"This man has a substantial list of previous convictions," said the Magistrate in sentencing Hardgrave to twelve months' imprisonment with hard labour.