"TRIBE OF THIEVES"

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 111, 13 May 1939, Page 11

"TRIBE OF THIEVES"

A GANG OF BOYS

POLICE LAMENT CONDITIONS

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

CHRISTCHURCH, This Day.

"This tribe of thieves has given us more trouble than all the other children in Christchurch. There are something like sixty-five charges against them, and the money and property they have stolen represents £96 6s 3d," said Detective-Sergeant Sinclair when five boys appeared in the Children's Court this morning. Against the ringleader, a boy of 13£, there, were fourteen charges of breaking and entering, thirteen charges of theft, and two charges of converting bicycles. The other four boys were implicated in his exploits to a varying degree.

Accompanied by one of the boys the ring-leader ran away from.a State institution last April, said DetectiveSergeant Sinclair. They stole some money from a house and with it went to the West Coast, where they broke into ten houses and shops, stealing money and property to a total value of £41 7s 9d. They stole property valued at £18 13s from motor-cars. They were returned to the home on April 13, but on Anzac Day the ringleader persuaded two of the other boys to join him in running away again. On converted bicycles they made their way south, where they committed a number of thefts, but they returned to the home on April 27. On the night of May 7 the boys left the home about 11 p.m. and returned in the morning after breaking into a skating rink and stealing from two motor-cars.

"They seem to be able to get in and out of the home just as they please," said the Detective-Sergeant. '"I am not criticising the management of the home, which can only do as the law allows, but we have to suffer for it."

"It is all yery well for the police" commented the Child Welfare Officer, Mr. Bisset,. "but they can lock their clients in cells. We cannot do that."

After warning the boys that if they continued their present course they would spend most of their lives in gaol, the Magistrate, Mr. Reid, ordered them to be returned to the care of the State.