THEFT OF TYRES

Evening Star, Issue 25782, 3 May 1946, Page 4

THEFT OF TYRES

SHIP DEPREDATIONS SEAMAN” CONVICTED Convicted of the theft of four motor tyres, valued at £2B, Patrick Bent, aged 22, a native of Ireland, and a seaman employed on the Port Campbell, was to-day sentenced to three months’ imprisonment. “ This type of offence is hard to detect,” commented the Magistrate, Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M. “ There is no doubt that there were a number of others engaged, and it is a pity that only this man was caught. Acting-sergeant F. A. Ledhe said that on the night in question he went to the wharf and secreted himself not far from some buildings. Shortly a car came down Rattray street, along Fryatt street, and stopped at the wharf. A man alighted and met the accused, who came from the ship. These two went back to the ship, and later, a tyre struck the wharf, having been thrown from the ship. The accused came down and picked up the tyre. The policeman followed, and arrested him, three yards from a point in the wharf where two other motor tyres were standing up against the staging. Further search of the wharf revealed another motor tyre partly concealed in a heap of railway tarpaulins. In a search of the ship, in company with Sergeant Devlin, and the ship’s second officer, Mr Dalton, three more tyres and 12 tubes were found concealed in the crew’s quarters at .the. stern of the ship. On the way to the Police Station accused remarked that he was taking the tyre into safe custody when he was apprehended, but he had been walkinkg away from the ship.