THEFT FROM TWO SHOPS

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 32, 7 August 1934, Page 5

THEFT FROM TWO SHOPS

RELEASED AND ARRESTED

ACQUITTED MAN CHARGED

"A remarkable feature about the case is that immediately after being acquitted in tho Supremo Court on a charge of theft he committed these two offences," said Detective-Sergeant Bevell in the Magistrate's Court today when referring to George Alexander Low, a hawker, aged 31, who was charged with tho theft of six pairs of gloves, valued at £3 3s, the property of Triggs and Denton, Ltd., and three furs valued at £21 3s (3d, tho property of Tossman and Co. Low, who pleaded guilty to both charges, was convicted and ordered by Mr. X Page, S.M., to be detained for reformative detention for a'period of two years on the second charge, and on the charge relating to the gloves he was ordered to come up for sentence if called upon within two years. The detective-sergeant said that on July 27 the accused went to Tossman's fur-shop and said ho wanted to get a fur coat renovated. On being told by a lady assistant that the workroom staff handled such work, he persuaded her to telcphono the workroom about the matter. When sho returned to the shop, tho accused said ho would communicate with the workroom later. , He then loft the shop, but the assistant noticed as" soon 'as ho had gone that three furs were missing. The accused then went to the shop of Triggs and Denton, and said'he wanted to inspect some- gloves. While he was examining them, another man, whom the police alleged was in collusion with the accused, came- into tho shop and attracted the assistant's attention. The accused was seen to put tho gloves in his pocket. He was accosted outside the shop but ran away. When ho was arrested he said that ho had thrown the furs away. The detective-sergeant said that Low had a long list of convictions both in Australia and New Zealand. Mr. J. Scott, who appeared for the accused, said that, to celebrate his acquittal in the Supreme Court Low got very' drunk, and to that excessive drinking might bo attributed the foolish things ho had done. Tho theft of the gloves seemed to bo a very clumsy effort. It was done openly and was more tho act of a drunken man than that of a cunning thief. In connection with the furs, Low had said that knowing tho detectives; would bo after him in respect of tho theft of tho gloves, ho threw the parcel of furs into a doorway in Majoribanks Street and bolted. Mr. Scott said he realised that Low's "list" was a serious obstacle to leniency being granted, but ho suggested that a short term of hard labour bo imposed as ho had been assured by the accused's relatives that at tho ex piriition of the sentence'they would make arrangements for him to take up a position on a farm.., Mr. Page said that Low had a formidable list of previous convictions, in chiding four charges of breaking and entering, charges of theft, and other off one es.