BAG-SNATCHER CONVICTED

Evening Star, Issue 18044, 11 August 1922, Page 2

BAG-SNATCHER CONVICTED

A DARING THEFT. For the theft of a- handbag and £l4O contained in it, the property of Messrs Gamble and) Creed, on the night of June 12, James Joseph Willoughby alias Wilson, a waterside worker, was found guilty at Wellington and recommended to mercy on account of his wife and family. It was alleged that the accused shadowed G-anme to turn tramcar and took a seat behind him. Air Gamble’s custom was to convey to his homo the daily earnings of his amp. I While on the tramcar accused hustled his way to the sieat behind Gamble, who had ! placed the bag on the floor between his I feet. Prisoner, it was alleged, snatched ] the bag and jumped off the car, evading ; pursuit. | The evidence of some of the witnesses I was. that they were not positive that the prisoner was the man they had seen jumping off the car with the bag in his hand and running away. | The detectives said that the prisoner declined to give any details of his movements on the day of the alleged theft. When on the car prisoner was dressed as a working man, and when arrested he was well dressed. After the theft the empty bag | was found on the doorstep of his house. The wife of the prisoner said that Willloughby caime home partially drunk on the evening of the alleged theft. She thought he was sick. His Honor commented on the fact that the only evidence as to an alibi was given by the prisoner’s wife, not by one of those with whom the prisoner was supposed to be. - Sentence was deferred.