BOY CRACKSMAN

Evening Star, Issue 22689, 1 July 1937, Page 7

BOY CRACKSMAN

"SMALLEST AMD WORST" Chains and leaded boots, it was stated at Poole Juvenile Court Hast mouth; bad failed to keep an eight-year-old cracksman from roaming away from home. The custodian of a remand home described him, as “ the smallest and the worst boy-I have ever had.” 1 . The . boy admitted 15, ■ offences,> mostly housebreaking. They involved.; the theft of over £3o,,'and covered a period of from before Christmas until a few weeks before his arrest. , , . “At one' time,” Superintendent Swain told the court, “ T-was doubtful whether such a small boy could have committed all the offences, because in many 1 cases they looked like the work of an expert cracksman. “ The boy has been taken to the various places by a plain-clothes officer, and has pointed out. in each case how he had obtained entry and what he had done. ; We are now- satisfied that he was responsible. - “ I have 47 police reports concerning the conduct of this boy, who seems; to be entirely, out of parental and school control. “His parents put him in leaded boots to keep him in, and he has been found long distances from home: still wearing them. They had also chained-him and tied ; him, without effect. At other times he was put' to bed without clothes, and, was found ■emerging from an upper window in his shirt.

“ While he was at: the remind home awaiting' the court hearing he gave the authorities there great trouble. The custodian removed his shoes to prevent him absconding, and later found him performing gymnastic, tricks on , a fire escape 30ft from the ground.” , The boy's mother gave evidence that he had wandered away at all hours of : the day and night, and she had been out at 2 a.m. looking for him. On some of his ex--1 peditions he had taken with him two brothers, aged seven-and fits, .