PETROL THEFT

Evening Star, Issue 21622, 18 January 1934, Page 16

PETROL THEFT

MAN GETS THREE MONTHS STRONG MAGISTERIAL COMMENT [Feb United Press Association.] NEW PLYMOUTH, January 17. Three', months’ imprisonment, the maximum term possible for an offence involving the amount in,the charge, was imposed'on" Kenneth Samuel Haskell, a single man, who was charged to-day with having stolen two gallons of petrol valued at 3s lOd. “ The thefts of petrol in the manner in which Haskell has been detected is a serious matter,” said Sergeant Glist. A man who slept at the Eitzroy Service Station heard a car stop, but there being no summons he stayed in bed. Later, he heard a rattle of cans and became suspicious. . He 1 looked out and the lights of a car approaching in Main street revealed Haskell coming from the rear of a breakdown car which was parked in the station. He went down and found Haskell crouched at the back of the car. The attendant found a tin half full of petrol.- Sergeant Glist produced a length of rubers tubing which, he suggested-, had been kept by Haskell for no other purpose than for the syphoning of petrol out of other people’s cars. It was found lying on the floor of Haskell’s truck. The attendant afterwards found that the tank cap of his own car had been removed and two or three gallons taken. The type of theft was a mean one and gave the police a lot of trouble. Haskell should be made an .example'of. Haskell’s explanation i-was that he took the petrol with the intention of calling next morning to pay for'it. The magistrate, Mr 'W. H. Woodward, said he regarded the matter as very serious. It was cleat that Haskell had been in no urgent need of petrol, and even if he had been that would ho no justification for the theft. There wore no redeeming features in the case.-