DIFFICULT TO TRACE

Evening Star, Issue 26042, 5 March 1947, Page 8

DIFFICULT TO TRACE

MOTOR VEHICLE THIEVES COMMENT IN POLICE GOUHT “ This class of offence is very difficult to trace. During the last six months 44 vehicles have been taken, but only nine offenders have beeu detected. Included in that number are quite a number of motor cycles,” said Chief-deteetive T. Y. Hall to the magistrate (Mr J. D. Willis, S.M.), in the Police Court this morning when' Colin Charles Dunsmuir, 21 years of age, a labourer, and William Davidl Stacey Carnegie, 21, also a labourer, were charged with the unlawful conversion of a motor cycle, and of a motor truck. Both pleaded guilty. After hearing the evidence, the Magistrate ordered that they be remanded in custody until Friday, when sentence wouldl be passed. Chief-detective Hall said that on February 27, Dunsmuir arid Carnegie met at a dance at St. Kilda, and went for a walk, during which they drank two bottles of beer and were not allowed to re-enter the dance. Returning to the city, they dec-idled to go to Invercargill. They took a motor cycle from Moray Place, but the engine stalled at Abbotsford and they were towed some distance back towards Dunedin, and then left the motor cycle. In the Lookout Point area, they found a motor truck,-and decided to take it. The ignition was locked, but the cab was . open, and the defendants had to swing on the steering wheel to break the lock, and they “ crossed' ” the wires to start the engine. Wheri going down a- hill on entering Balclutha, the truck ran off the road, but the occupants were unhurt. They slept in some near-by bushes, and were eventually arrested' at Stirling. The motor cycle was damaged to. the extent of about £5, and the damage to the truck was assessed at £49 11s. Dunsmuir had been liberated from the Borstal in October last on license, andl Carnegie had been before the Supreme Court, and admitted to two years’ . probation, but apparently neither had taken"any account of the leniency afforded^henn^^^