TWO MEN CHARGED

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 118, 15 November 1945, Page 9

TWO MEN CHARGED

THEFT OF CAR WHEELS ALLEGED

Three joint charges of unlawful car conversion and four joint charges of theft were preferred against Gordon Victor McKay, labourer, 25, and Raymond Benoit DeCarie, labourer, 24, in the Magistrate's Court yesterday. In addition, McKay was charged with one charge of unlawful conversion of a car and one charge of theft. One of the joint charges of theft concerned a rug, allegedly stolen from a car parked in a garage in Sutherland Road, but the other charges of theft all concerned tyres and wheels which were found to be missing off converted cars when they were recovered by the police.

Mrs. Naomi'Lust gave evidence that a car belonging to her brother had ben taken from Daniel Street about 8 p.m. on October 22. When the car was recovered the five wheels and tyres and a quantity of tools were missing.

Detective J. H. Alty stated that he and Detective A. P. Jesson and Constable Baker kept a watch on a house in Abel Smith Street. Outside the house a van was parked and they saw McKay come out of the house and get into the driver's seat. A few minutes later DeCarie joined him. The witness questioned them and they were then taken to the police station. The van was examined and in the back was found a wheel and tyre and under the seat was found a quantity of tools which were identified by David Meyer Gold, brother of the previous witness, as his property.

"Detective Jesson gave evidence regarding a statement made by DeCarie and he produced a number of wheels and tyres which he said had been recovered as a result of information given to the police by DeCarie.

Evidence was also given by Stanley William Kennett, naval petty officer, regarding the disappearance of his car from outside his home on the night of October 22 and the theft from it of the five wheels and tyres. Mrs. Helen Vinsen stated that on the night of October 22 she heard a car stop outside her home. She went out on the verandah and watched it for a few minutes before it drove away. The next morning she found that her garage had been broken open and a rug stolen from her car. She identified an envelope as being one addressed to her husband and which was in the car the day before the rug was stolen.

Detective Jesson stated that the rug was recovered from the home of McKay. The envelope had been found near a car, the property of George Kenneth Davidson, which was the subject of a further charge against the accused.

When the Court adjourned at 1 p.m., evidence had still to be heard with regard to a joint charge of conversion of Mr. Davidson's car, a joint charge of theft of four car wheels and tyres, a battery and tools, from that same car, and also with regard to the two charges against McKay, namely, the unlawful conversion of a car, the property of Alan George Eagle, and the theft of a wheel and tyre and tools, the property of Alan George Eagle. Mr. J. L. Stout, S.M.. was on the Bench. Detective-Sergeant E. H. Compton appeared for the police and Mr. R. R. Scott for McKay.