FOURTEEN OFFENCES

Evening Star, Issue 19351, 10 September 1926, Page 4

FOURTEEN OFFENCES

EARLY START IM CHIME [Pf.k. United Peers Association.] AUCKLAND, September 9. A modern, yet youthful, Bill Sykes rame before the Police Court this morning. Ho was John Massey, aged twenty-four years, and he pleaded guilty to fourteen charges—nine of breaking and entering, with intent in commit a crime, and another charge of theft. The offences took place_ between August 17 and 31, the articles stolon comprising clothing, cigarettes, field glasses, electric torches, a gramophone, records, carpenters' tools, cutlery, and picture^. j>etective Knight said ho had made inquiries about the various cases. On September 2, when in the company of Detective Lambert, ho accosted Massey in Hobson street. Massey was then wearing a stolen suit, and had with him an attache case which contained stolen articles. Accused had on his wrist a watch he had stolen from a house. Witness took accused to the police station, whore he questioned him. As a result of what Massey stated, most of the stolen property was recovered. _ "Witness recovered a bag from behind a building. This contained accused’s clothes. In a statement which Massey made to witness, and which he signed as being correct in detail, accused explained’he had been out of employment, and since leaving a house in Dominion road a fortnight prior to his arrest he had been sleeping out in a shed. He was unable to obtain sufficient work to keep himself. Accused’s custom was to gain entrance to shops and offices by breaking window panes and opening the locks of the doors from the inside. Massev was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence, bail being refused.