NO RECOLLECTION

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 138, 8 December 1936, Page 13

NO RECOLLECTION

THEFT OF BICYCLES

CURIOUS STORY

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. An extraordinary story of a married woman Who admitted stealing two bicycles, but maintained that she knew nothing about either offence was told in the Magistrate's Court this morning when a woman, aged 46, whose name was ordered to be suppressed, pleaded not guilty to stealing two women's bicycles, each valued at £5. Evidence was given that at the time the offences were committed the woman had been drinking heavily for a week. Constable Taylor said that at 5.55 a.m. on Thursday he was called to the Chief Post Office. He saw a woman cycling quickly through Plaza Lane, and a postal nightwatchman said that she'had stolen the bicycle. The accused looked as if she had; been drinking- for- a considerable-time. .A statement made by the accused; after her arrest was read. She said she had left home that day at 5.45 a.m. to get some beer. Before' she went out she had two large glasses of home-made wine. She thought the bicycle at the Post Office was her own, which had been stolen a ;week previously. ~, In evidence, the woman said that she could remember her arrest, but she did not know'what she was arrested for. She had not been drinking much. She did not remember why she ;went out so early in the morning, nor that she had made a statement to the police. As for the second bicycle, she knew nothing about it. She could not say where it came from. -..',' To. Mr. E. D. Mosley, S.M., the accused said that the wine she had taken was brewed from wheat. The Magistrate^ said it was difficult to come to an estimate oi the accused's state ol mind. He thought the, best thing would be to adjourn the, case, sine die, so that 'he accused could be watched.