SHOPLIFTER FINED

Greymouth Evening Star, 30 December 1940, Page 6

SHOPLIFTER FINED

CHURCH-WORKER’S WEAKNESS

[PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

CHRISTCHURCH, December 30.

Seven charges of shoplifting were admitted by a married woman, Edith Mav Osborne, aged 48, in Court this morning. The offences, said Detec-tive-Sergeant McClung, who appeared for the police, had been committed between February 5 and December 24 of this year. Osborne had come to town on Christmas Eve, to do some shopping. Her actions in one shop had aroused suspicion, and the police had been called in. The accused had admitted thefts at four city shops that day. Counsel who appeared for Osborne, said that accused was connected with church Work in the city, being at the Edgeware Road Methodist Church. She was also secretarv of St. Albans Christian Women’s Temperance Union.

On the charge of stealing goods to the value of £l5 8/-, she was fined £lO by Mr. Young, S.M., and on the charge of stealing clothing to the value of £7 8/- she was placed on probation for 12 months. Convictions were, entered on the other charges. At the request of the Probation Officer, an order was made that Osborne was not to enter the city shopping area, unaccompanied.