THEFT OF CARPETS

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 68, 17 September 1936, Page 7

THEFT OF CARPETS

GUILT ADMITTED

ABOUT £250 INVOLVED

Pleading guilty to a charge that on or about December 1, 1933, and between then and August 15, 1936, he stole carpets valued at £248 15s 7d, the property of James Templeton and Company, Ltd., Henry George Pearce, a warehouseman, aged 37, appeared before Mr. Raymond Ferner, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court yesterday. He was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. .

Mr. G. Mellish appeared for the accused, and Detective-Sergeant L. B. Revell conducted the prosecution.

William Harold Crawford, manager of James Templeton and Company, carpet manufacturers, said that on June 3, 1936, he took over the management o fthe firm.-The accused had been in the employ of the company for fifteen years, and was dismissed on August 27 on account of his dishonesty regarding the present charges. He had charge of the warehouses. The company supplied wholesalers and retailers, and the accused supervised the dispatch of carpets from the warehouse. He had no authority to dispose of goods outside the usual routine, or handle or receive any moneys. Records of all sales had to be made in the day book. -

Two stocktakings were carried out during the year, said witness. The accused had the keys to the building, On August 31, following certain discoveries, witness interviewed the accused, who admitted shortages amounting to approximately £250. Witness perused a list of shortages ■ given by the accused to the police, and stated that the stock was under the accused's jurisdiction, and that it was missing. Only one of the transactions was recorded in the books, and that had been invoiced at Brailsford's.

Whitfield Forster, a moneylender, said he had known the accused for about four years. About three years ago the accused approached witness and told him he was one of the managers of the Templeton Company. In 1935, the accused told witness that if he required any carpets he would supply them. On July 16, 1935, witness called at the warehouse and selected a length of carpet, and a carpet square. On the following Saturday he called shortly after noon and picked up the goods from outside the warehouse. The accused had .said that he wanted to get away about twelve, and would leave the carpets there for witness. Later that day, the accused called at witness's house and helped to lay the carpet. The following week an account was presented for £16 8s 7d, and the usual receipt was given. Witness understood all the time that he was purchasing from the company. In April, 1936, witness and his wife called to select another carpet, and this was collected after 5 p.m. about a week later. 'On April 9 he received an account for £12 17s 7d for that purchase, and on payment received a receipt. He could produce both receipts. Detective W. R. Murray said that when he and Detective N. Baylis arrested the accused on September 4, the accused voluntarily made a confession, which witness produced. He also assisted in making out a list of purchasers and the amounts they paid him. The purchasers were interviewed by witness. The accused had given the police every assistance in clearing up the matter. In his confession, the accused said that twice a year the manager and his assistants conducted stocktaking. The accused usually engaged a carrier after office hours to take the carpets to the address of the purchasers, and paid the carrier himself. He would get possession of. the rough stock sheets during stocktaking and add the missing stock to them. He was getting £7 and later £8 a week, and a bonus amounting to about £20 a year at the time of the. thefts. He attributed his slip to drink and consequent debt. No one else was concerned in the matter.

Bail was fixed at £150, with two sureties of £75 each.