THEFTS AT AUCKLAND

Greymouth Evening Star, 12 October 1934, Page 5

THEFTS AT AUCKLAND

MAN AND WOMAN CHARGED. [PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] AUCKLAND, October 11. Jewellery valued at nearly £l4OO was displayed in the Police Court to-day when several charges relating to a burglary from the shop of James Pascoe, Limited, Karangahape Road, on ( September. 20, were heard before Mr {Wyvern Wilson, S.M. James McQuoid, blacksmith and butcher, aged 2.5 years, was charged with breaking and entering the premises of James Pascoe, and stealing jewellery of a total value of £1378 10/9. He was also charged with receiving the same quantity of jewellery on September 28 knowing it to have been dishonestly obtained. A third was one of receiving a gold wristlet watch valued at £7 10/- from Hilda Jackson, knowing it to have been dishonestly obtained. Hilda Jackson, domestic, aged 33, was charged with receiving jewellery valued at £1378 10/9, knowing it to have been dishonestly obtained. Both of the accused were represented by Mr Sullivan, who consented to the evidence on all charges being heard simultaneously'. Alfred Pascoe, manager of the Karangahape Road branch of James Pascoe, said that as the result of a message from the police, witness went to his shop early in the morning and found that the premises had been ransacked and jewellery and repairs valued at £1545 3/3 had been taken. The stock had been well sorted over, and tickets and cards had been left behind. Witness identified jewellery produced in Court as part- of the quantity stolen. He said its value was £1378, and the value of the jewellery not yet discovered was £167. An entrance had been apparently effected through a trapdoor, which had been forced, and an exit had been made through a door.

A licensed second hand dealer, Horace Robinson, said that in answer to a telephone call on September 28, he went to 100, Nelson Street, where he met the female accused. She stated she had some jewellery to sell and made an appointment for witness to call again that evening. When he returned, she stated she required £2OO for the jewellery which she brought in in a pillow case from another room. Various articles were spread out on sheets of newspaper, and while he was examining them, there was a knock at the door. Shortly after two detectives burst into the room. Detective Sergeant McHugh said the house was surrounded, and the female accused answered the door, but refused to open it, and the detectives had to force their way in through a window.

The Magistrate: There does not seem to me to be any evidence to convict McQuoid on the charge of breaking and entering. The Magistrate, after further evidence had been heard said: “As far as the charge of receiving the large quantity of jewellery is concerned it seems that this jewellery was in the possession of the woman and that is not enough evidence on which to send McQuoid for trial on the second charge either.

The first two charges against McQuoid were dismissed. He pleaded guilty to the charge of receiving a watch and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. Hilda Jackson pleaded not guilty. She was committed to the Supreme Court for trial. Bail was refused for both of the accused.