THEFT OF MONEY

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 27, 31 July 1940, Page 9

THEFT OF MONEY

PITCAIRN ISLANDER FOR

SENTENCE

Victor Christian, a presser, aged 21, and a native of Pitcairn Island, pleaded guilty in the Magistrate's Court today, before Mr. J. L. Stout, S.M.^to the theft of £88 19s 6£d from the dwell-ing-house of James Gavin, Abel Smith Street, and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.

The evidence, and Christian's written statement to Detectives A. Reid and G. C. Urquhart, disclosed that over £80 in money was left locked in the drawer of a desk in Gavin's house on July 28. On the following morning it was discovered that the desk was missing, and it was later found outside, having been forced open. A canvas bag and all the money contained in the desk, with the exception of a few shillings, was missing. A small axe was found nearby.

Detective Reid said that he and Detective Urquhart interviewed the accused, who at first denied all knowledge of the theft. Christian invited th'enf'to'-§eaTch":ti!^'room.' :He at first took them to a room which they found was not his own, and . then they searched his room, and found in a locked suitcase a canvas bag containing a large sum of money. The accused then, said, "I will take the blame for the lot. It is Gavin's money."

Senior-Detective P. Doyle said that all the money, with the exception of 6d, had been recovered.