THEFTS FROM CARS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 78, 29 September 1938, Page 11

THEFTS FROM CARS

MANY CHARGES

YOUNG MEN GUILTY

In the Lower Hutt Court today, before Mr. A. M. Goulding, S.M., Francis William Watson, a farm manager, aged 28, married, and Stanley Grant Wills, aged 22, single, faced fifteen charges of theft, involving tyres, wheels, tubes, parts of cars, petrol, and property left in cars, one charge of mischief, and two charges of unlawful conversion of cars. Herbert Edward JBarnes, employed by a firm of service station proprietors, aged 23, single, appeared, on two charges of theft, a charge of unlawful conversion of a car, and a charge of receiving stolen-property. All pleaded guilty, Detective-Sergeant F. N. Robinson said that the total value of property stolen wks £67 6s 9d. All the property had been recovered except about £8, worth. The offences were committed between June 27 and September 6. One car was taken to Haywards by the three men and stripped of property valued at £25 and the other car* was taken to Paekakariki by two of the men arid left there. Property to the value of £17 was found to be missing from the car, but it was claimed that only about £12 worth was taken by these two men. Wills had a car and he was in the habit of travelling about with Watson as a passenger and they stole anything they found in cars. Watson and Barnes also had cars. Rubber tubing was used by Wills and Watson for siphoning benzine. The Police Department took a serious view of these offences. Ap^ parently no car was safe when Wills and Watson were about. None of the three men had been in trouble before.

For Watson, Mr. E. F. Rothwell said that his client was not the originator of this series of offences. The' first offence was the conversion of the car taken to Haywards. Wills had suggested taking a car and stripping it of parts for his (Wills's car and Watson weakly agreed. In the case of the second car Watson had practically nothing to gain. All the benzine siphoned went into Wills's car. At a later stage Watson took parts which he kept.

Mr. C. R. Barrett stressed that there were only four charges against Barnes, who had been friendly with Wills for ten years but who had only met Watson two or three months ago. Barnes's second-hand car was out of order and he weakly agreed to accept two wheels, but he knew they had been stolen. His offences ceased on August 31.

Mr. T. A. Tarrant stated that it was a preposterous claim that Wills, who had only left school a few years ago, should incite an experienced man like Waflon to commit the first theft. Wills had been placed in a most invidious position and one not supported by the facts. The first trouble arose out of drink. Wills had been too much in the company of older people.

The Probation Officer (Sergeant J. W. McHolm) said he could recommend probation for Barnes, but he had no recommendation to make about the other two s&ien.

The Magistrate said that in view of the serious offences with which Wills ahd Watson were charged he would like a report from the probation officer before he passed sentence.

The three men were remanded for sentence and bail was renewed.