HOTEL THEFTS

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 154, 27 December 1935, Page 8

HOTEL THEFTS

SALESMAN CHARGED

COMMITTED FOR SENTENCE

CIGARETTES CLUE

{By Telegraph—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, tthis Day. A small clue, a' tin of cigarettes, led to the arrest of George Walter Roche, according to the story told in the Magistrate's Court this morning, when Roche faced three charges of tliei't from rooms at Warner's Hotel on December 25. The fact that two cigarettes were found in & tin of another brand in his room gave the police valuable information and enabled them. to make an arrest in smart time. Roche, a motor-car salesman, aged 32, was charged with the theft of 16 Cook's travel cheques, valued at £140, £6 5s 3d in money, and goods to a value of £45 6s, the property of Mrs. Elsie Graham, of Southport, England, a guest at the hotel. Pleading guilty, he was convicted and committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. On a charge of stealing a fountain pen, valued at 30s, the property of Lady Ray Martha Samuel, of London, another'guest at the hostel, he was convicted and sentenced to two months' imprisonment- with hard labour, and on a charge of stealing 13s in money and 25 cigarettes, . valued at Is 6d, the property of Peggy Perrett, a waitress at the hotel, he was convicted and sentenced to one month's imprisonment with hard, labour, the sentences to be concurrent. He pleaded guilty to both charges. . DETECTIVE'S INQUIRIES. Detective Sinclair said he was called to Warner's Hotel at 11 p.m. on December- 25 to inquire into' a theft. In company with the licensee he visited Roche's room. On the table he found a tin containing eighteen cigarettes of one brand and two of another. Later he interviewed Roche, who stated he had-bought the cigarettes. He told Roche Mrs. Graham Had identified the cigarettes as her own, but Roche averred that they. /were. his. During the interview Roche said that he had a. car outside the" hotel fitted with demonstration plates. Detective Sinclair and the licensee searched the;car. In a recess in the dashboard they found four, one pound notes and some small change. Under the driver's seat was a' handbag containing Cook's travel cheques; to a value of £ 140, and travelling tickets, all made out in the name of Elsie Graham.. Roche st3ted that the articles were his. Next morning Roche asked.if he could make a statement and ' clear the , matter up. saying he had been' "a'bit foolish." > CAME FROM HAMILTON. Chief-Detective • Dunlop said Roche Was a married man living apart from his wife. He had come to Christchurch from Hamilton a fortnight ago and had obtained a position as a car salesman. He lived in a flat. When he weritto the hotel he took some property with him, but it was a reasonabla inference that he went there with the- intention- of committing' theft. Roche was at present oh probation oh a two-year term, dating from February 25, 1935. He hadJast reported at Hamilton in October.