MACKAY STREET BURGLAR

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 August 1930, Page 2

MACKAY STREET BURGLAR

COMMITTED FOR SENTENCE. Appearing at the Greymouth Court to-day, on remand from last Wednesday, 'Daniel Patrick Maloney, 24, an Australian, was charged : (1) That on August 5, he broke and entered the premises of Thomas Crankshaw, tailor, and stole one penny; (2) that he broke and entered the premises of Mrs E. Marsh, confectioner, with intent to commit the crime of theft; (3) that he attempted to break and enter the premises of John Dumble, hairdresser, with intent to commit the crime of theft; (4) that, on July 30, he broke and entered the premises of Edward Flood, hairdresser, Mackay Street, and stole a metal watch valued at 9/-, a pocket knife valued at 3/6, and 30/- in cash. Senior-Sergeant C. E. Roach conducted the prosecution. Edward Flood stated that on Wednesday, July 30, he left his premises at 1.15 p.m M and everything was then secure. He discovered next morning that the front door had been forced, and the goods mentioned in the charge were missing.

Constable Patterson stated that he discovered Flood’s door open at 12.40 a.m. on July 31. Several dead matches were on the counter, but everything else seemed all right. The till contained about £3 7/-.

Mrs Ethel Marsh stated that on August 5 she left her shop about 8 p.m., and the doors were then secure. About 9 o’clock the next morning she found that the back door had been forced open. A curtain had been torn, a cabinet in the shop opened, and a small wooden clock opened, also a suitcase under the counter, and the till. A wooden panel in the back door was broken, so that a hand could be inserted and the door unlocked. Nothing had been stolen. Thomas Crankshaw stated that on August 5 he left his premises at 5.30 p.m., securely locked. On the following morning, at 8.30 o’clock, he found a rear window forced open, and evidence that someone had been in the premises. All his pa’pers and correspondence were mixed up on the cutting board. The safe door was open (he always left it unlocked). One of the drawers in the safe had been forced open. There was no money in the safe. The point had been smashed off a pair of cutting shears, valued at about £2 5/-. The key produced was that of his back door. He could not recognise the penny produced, but it may have been on his desk. John Dumble stated that on August 5 he left his shop secure at 5.30 p.m. He examined the t>ack door<- leading to his premises, next day, and found that it had been interfered with,apparently by a chisel. He counted 17 marks on it. The dooi 1 led to a passage at the rear of his premises, and could be mistaken for his back door. Constable Paddy stated that about 11.40 p.m. on August 5 he noticed a light in Mrs Marsh’s shop at the corner of Waite and Mackay Street. He found that the window of Crankshaw’s shop and the back door of Mrs Marsh’s shop bad been interfered with. He entered Mrs Marsh’s shop, and found accused under the counter in the front portion of the shop. He had a pair of gloves on. Witness arrested him, and on the way to the pdlice station he showed accused the door of Flood’s shop, and accused admitted forcing it. He had three pennies in his possession, and said he got one from Crankshaw’s shop. Accused said he found the key (produced) some weeks ago. He also had a chisel in his possession. He admitted taking the watch and knife from Flood’s shop. He said that he wore the gloves to avoid making finger-prints. Witness produced two statements made by accused, admitting the burglaries, and stating that he committed them because he was destitute and wanted money. He had looked in every possible direction for employment, but had failed. He had been in New Zealand nine months, and in Greymouth five weeks. Accused, who was not represented by counsel, pleaded guilty, and was committed to the next sitting of the Supreme Court, for sentence. He asked for bail, but the S.M. deferred the question, stating that, if accused could find sureties, he could then make application. The amount of bail was fixed at self £lOO and two sureties of £5O each.