CARS CONVERTED

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 35, 10 August 1934, Page 10

CARS CONVERTED

YOUTHS IN TROUBLE

SEVENTEEN CHARGES

A month's campaign of converting cars to their own use was admitted by Albert James Boorio, a labourer, aged 20, and Roy.Tofts, a grocer's assistant, aged 20, in the Magistrate's Court today before Mr. E. Page, S.M. The accused were jointly charged with converting seventeen cars to their own use on various dates, and there was a further charge against Boonc in connection with another .car. Boone was ordered to be detained in a Borstal institution -for not more than three years,' and Tofts for a period not exceeding two years. The sentences were in respect of one charge, and on the remaining charges, the accused were ordered to come up for sentence if called upon. • ' ' Detective-Sergeant JRcvell said that the accused were arrested at Petone on August lwhilo in possession of a stolen ear. -Inquiries were made and it was found that seventeen cars had been converted by the youths. The cars ranged'from baby models to heavy and expensive ones. The total value of the cars was between £2000 and £3000. The accused drove the cars around the city,: and then abandoned them when and where they liked. In many cases the ear doors were locked, and they were forced open.- The owners were put to considerable expense, as, in addition to the locks on the doors being broken, the cars were left with their lights burning, which resulted in the batteries running down. "The accused were no respeetors of persons, as on one occasion a doctor's car was stolen, which might .have-had serious results," said the DetectiveSergeant. "Although it is the first time they have been before the Court, they do not seem to have anyone to look after them; they appear to need somo form of discipline." On behalf of' tho accused, Mr. C. O'Began made a strong plea for probation. PEOBATION NOT KECOMMENDED. The Probation Officer (Mr. T. P. Mills) said he did not think it was a case for probation. Ho believed it was a fact that the accused were very much out of hand. Boono and Tofts wero also jointly charged with tho theft of shaving soap valued at 3s 6d, belonging to Francis T. King, a camera valued at £1 10s, belonging to Reginald Stephen Dwyer, and a pair of leather gloves valued at 15s 9d belonging to Edward Mervyn Robinson. Tofts pleaded not guilty to tho charges. . Evidence was given that the goods had been left in cars which Boone and Tofts had commandeered. Mr. Pago said ho did not think that the ■ evidence was sufficient to convict Tofts',of theft. He was clearly a party to tho conversion, of cars, but it was not proved that ho had been a party to the thefts of the goods by Boone. . An order was made for-the,return of the goods. ' '