BICYCLE THIEF

Evening Star, Issue 21821, 10 September 1934, Page 12

BICYCLE THIEF

YOUNG MAN APPREHENDED TWELVE MONTHS’ IMPRISONMENT A young man, Lyndon Henry Leckie, whoso weakness seems to have been stealing bicycles, appeared in the Police Court this morning before Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M., and Was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment on each of two charges, the sentences to he cumulative. The accused was charged with that, on or about July 7, at Invercargill, he obtained credit by fraud by incurring a liability for board for £5 13s 9d from Robert Raeburn; that, on or about June 28, at Dunedin, he stole a bicycle valued at £7 10s, the property of Percy Alfred Smith; that, on August 29, he stole an overcoat and scarf valued at £4 14s 6d, the property of James Milne; that, on August 22, at Dunedin, he stole a bicycle, valued at £3, the property of Robert Macdonald; that, on the same day, he stole a bicycle valued at £5, the property of James Wilfred Carley; that, on August 25, he stole a bicycle valued at £6 10s, the property of William Stuart Taylor; and that, on August 24, he stole a bicycle valued at £3, the property of Erie Adams. ‘ The accused pleaded guilty to obtaining credit by fraud and to stealing the bicycles belonging to Messrs Smith, Taylor, and Adams. On the other charges he was ■ appearing for sentence. Chief-detective Young said the ac cased was a single man, twenty-four years of age, and nad come from Auckland. Recently he had been employed in Otago and Southland hawking soft goods. He was first before the court in Christchurch, where he was admitted to two years 1 probation on a false pretences charge. Almost immediately he went to Auckland, where he appeared before the court on ten charges of stealing bicycles. On these and the false pretences charge he was sentenced to six and three months respectively. He was discharged in June last, and apparently came to Dunedin shortly afterwards. He stole Mr Smith’s bicycle, and when selling it gave a false name. He then went to Invercargill, and incurred liability to the extent of £5 13s 9d for board and lodging. When he returned to Dunedin he stole Mr Macdonald’s bicycle, but abandoned it after failing ti> sell it. Then he took Mr Carley’s bicycle and'sold it for £2. He failed to sell Mr Adams’s machine, but succeeded in disposing of Mr Taylor’s. The overcoat and scarf he sold to a dealer for 12s 6d. “He has admitted the offences, concluded Mr Young, “ but it null be seen that he is a bad type of thief. It seems that he is determined to live a criminal career.” . Remarking that it .was a particularly despicable form of theft, the magistrate sentenced the accused to six months imprisonment on the charge of stealing Mr Smith’s'bicycle and to a similar term on the charge of stealing Mr Taylor’s bicycle, the sentences to be cumulative. On the other charges the accused was convicted and discharged.