SAFE-BREAKER IN COURT

Evening Star, Issue 20365, 23 December 1929, Page 8

SAFE-BREAKER IN COURT

ALL LONE-HANDED OFFENCES *—- ACCUSED’S OWN STORY i|| REMAND TO CHRISTCHURCH OK SHE CHARGE In the Police Court this morning* before Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M., Robert Cockburn was charged with six charges of breaking and entering .at Dunedin, and with one similar charge at Christchurch. Ho was also on remand on, a charge of being an idle and disorderly person. Tho accused was not represented by counsel. Cbief-detectivo Cameron asked leava to withdraw the vagrancy charge. The postmistress at Caversham gave evidence regarding tho offence committed at the premises there. She stated that damage to the extent of £2t had been done. Gordon Cossens, company director ofi Messrs Cossens and Black, gave evidence regarding tho next crime, and stated that in their promises damaga ' to tho amount of £2O had been done.: Further evidence was given by Stanley Gordon Munro (South Dunedin. Savings Bank), Glen Wright (Mr W.B. Taverner’s office), Frederick Fastior; (Otago Farmers’ Co-operative Association, Limited), and John Fyfe (Messrs Joseph Sparrow and Sons). It was estimated that damages toi these four premises were as follow? South Dunedin Savings Bank (£2O), Mr Taverner’s office (£ls), Otago Farmers’ Co-operative Association* Limited (£4-5), and Messrs Sparrow; and Sons (£ls to £2O). Constable Watkins, who was on patrol duty at South Dunedin on the night of December 8, said that about 3 a.in. be went to the railway embankment near Mr Taverner’s premises and discovered that a dome was broken in the skylight. At tho same time another constable was on duty in the same vicinity, and he called him to go to the front door. Simultaneous with the call he heard somebody escape from the front door and run down King Edward street. Witness thou gave evidence in connection with his investigations at the office, including tho finding of gelignite. ACCUSED'S STATEMENT. Detective Kearton said on December 19 lie was with Detective-sergeant Nuttall when the accused made a statement which read as follows; — “I am a single man, twenty-three venrs of age, and by occupation I am' a labourer and a coal miner. On Saturday, November 9, I left Greymonth 'in company with a woman whoso name I do not wish to disclose. We arrived in Christchurch that night, and I remained there until November 27, when I came on to Dunedin. The woman did not come with me. “At about 1 a.m. on November 29 I went to the Caversham Post Office and broke in through a window at the back. I then charged tho strong room with gelignite and fired the charge with a detonator, electric wires, and a small battery. I did not get the sale door open, and did not take anything from the office at all. “On the night of November 30 1. went to the premises of Messrs Cossens and Black, broke a window at the back, and got in. I filled the keyhole with gelignite and blew the safe door open, using the same methods there as I did at the Caversham Post Office. From tho safe I took £26 10s—£20 in single notes, one £5 note, one 10s note, and £1 in silver. “ At about 3 o’clock on the morning of Dec-ember 8 I broke through a skylight into Mr Taverner’s offices and had tho charge already set in tho safe door when I heard somebody on tho roof of the building. 3 at once made to got out, and in doing so left the battefy, wires, and detonator behind in the office. To break out I had to break a lock on tho sliding gate. 3. then ran down the road and was chased by a constable in uniform. I did not take anything from Mr Taverner’s office. . “ f broke into the Dunedin Savings Bank at about 12.30 on the morning ol : December 8, the means of entry, being through a window at the bade of tho premises. I fired tho safe by charging the keyhole until gelignite and using a detonator and battery as I did in the other cases. When I got the safe open 1 found it was tuil or hooks. I also found a shilling and an old revolver. This safe was done before I went to Mr Taverner s. After being chased by the constable I went clown to the beach and left the ofcl revolver, the torch, chisel, screw-driver —also a detonator and some wire—m the grass near the road.” Dealing then with tho burglary at the Otago Farmers’ Co-operative Association, the accused said that he got in by climbing up a slanting roof next door. He then broke a pane of glass; in tho skylight and lowered himself into fhe office. He first blew tho strongroom door, and then blew two safes which were in the strongroom.' Ho managed to get the strongroom door open, but was unsuccessful m opening the safes. Here also ho used gelignite, wires, detonator, and battery on all occasions. In a small cupboard in the strongroom ho found a cash box, and from it he took £4 10s in money. He further stated: “At about 1 a.m. on December 16 I went to Sparrow and Sons, m lower Rattray street, and climbed over tho gate and then over the top of the building and down a ventilator pipe. I broke a window at the back of the office and got in that way. I laid a charge of gelignite and fired it, but did not manage to get tho safe open. The only things I took Hem there were some cigarettes. “ I have been a lone-bander in all the jobs I have done in Dunedin. I have not an associate of any kind.” Later, the accused accompanied witness and Detective-sergeant Nuttal to tho corner of Melville and Carroll, streets and there ho handed over a considerable quantity of gelignite, wired detonators, and battery. PLEA OF GUILTY.

The accused pleaded guilty and was committed to the Supremo Court at Christchurch for sentence. On the charge of breaking and entering at Christchurch the accused was remanded to appear at Christchurch on January 4.