“KING OF KITE-FLYERS”

Evening Star, Issue 21785, 30 July 1934, Page 11

“KING OF KITE-FLYERS”

LONG CAREER OF FALSE PRETENCES TWELVE MONTHS FOR CHEQUES Described by Cbief-detective Younfe as the “ King of Kite Flyers,” Robert Thomas Roberts (fifty-six) was sentenced in the Police Court this morning to twelve months’ imprisonment for issuing four valueless cheques. Roberts alias William Roberts alias William Robertson alias William Mason was charged with obtaining £3 12s 6d in money and £1 7s 6d in goods from William Henry Hobbs by falsely representing that a cheque for £5, drawn by W. Mason on the Bank of New Zealand at Dunedin, was a good and valid order for that amount; 15s in money and £4 5s in goods from James Alfred Neilson with a valueless cheque drawn on tjje Bank of New Zealand at Timaru and signed by W. Mason; £2 in money from Thomas George M’Crackeu with a valueless cheque for that amount drawn on the Bank of New Zealand at Mosgiel and signed by J. Blair; obtaining from J. and J. Arthur Ltd. £8 17s in money and £1 3s in goods with a valueless cheque for £lO drawn on the Bank of New Zealand at Timaru and signed by ,S. Shaw. All the charges were admitted. “If I may be permitted to use a slang expression I would describe this man as the ‘King of Kite Flyers]— the name for the profession in which he is engaged, the members of which issue valueless cheques,” said the chief detective. “Since 1917 Roberts_ has been in court on' twenty-two occasions, has faced sixty charges of false pretences, and has been sentenced to terms of imprisonment aggregating twenty years.” Mr Young told the court that Roberts was released from prison on March 30, and went to Oamaru. He was there until July 10, and then came on to Dunedin. He first went to a dentist and ordered a set of false teeth, assijniing the name of Shaw, His next move was to go to the bank and ask for a blank cheque form. When he was questioned as to identification and references "he referred the bank to the dentist, who, on being communicated with, informed the bank that he assumed Roberts was all right. Roberts Was then supplied with, a cheque form, and he immediately wrote out a cheque for £lO, signing it with the name of S. Shaw, , and changing the branch of the bank to Timaru. He went on to Messrs J. and J. Arthur Ltd. and presented it there, after ordering goods of a value of £1 3s. Arthurs rang the bank, which again assumed that be was all right, and, on these conditions, the cheque was cashed. Roberts returned to Oamaru with a supply of liquor and went on a drinking bout. He came back to Dunedin about a week later and was now Mr Mason, a horse buyer, of Timaru. Obtaining a blank cheque from a land agent in JJunedin, he filled it in for £5, signing it with his latest name. He took it to Harris’s boot shop, where it was cashed after be had bought a pair of boots. While he was hanging about the land agent’s office he niet a Mr Neilson, of the Ascot Clothing Store, and, obtaining another cheque form from the office, made it out for £5. With this he secured a suit and 15s in cash from the Ascot. Then ho went out to Ontram and Mosgiel, getting another blank cheque at a butcher’s shop at Mosgiel. This lie made out for £5 under the name of J. Blair, and on bis way back to Dunedin called at Mr M'Cracken’s store in Caversham. Mr M'Cracken was out, and he told the assistaiit that be was an old friend of Mr M'Cracken’s, the assistant cashing the cheque for £5 for him. When Roberts was arrested he had another cheque for £lO in his possession. The police believe that he had attempted, without success, to cash this in various shops. Asked if he had anything to say, Roberts muttered something about a drinking bout. Mr Bundle: It is absurd to say that you have been on a drinking.bout. This is a clear case of obtaining cheques and then presenting them. That is not the act of a drunken man at all.

6u the charges relating to Arthurs’ and Hobbs, Roberts was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment, the sentences to be cumulative. Convictions were entered on the other charges. , The Chief Detective mentioned that the suit Roberts had obtained from the Ascot and a pair of pyjamas from Arthurs’ were in good condition, the Magistrate directing that these should be returned.