AFTER THE PICTURES

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, Issue 212, 22 August 1927, Page 5

AFTER THE PICTURES

A MOTOR CAR ADVENTURE. BUSINESS WOMAN' & HER PASSENGER. Auckland, Aug. 22 A sequel to a thrilling race between a motor car commandeered by a detective and another car driven by a Queen Street business woman on August 6, was the appearance in Court of Ina Beatrice Wills, aged 27, and Thomas Herbert Skinner, aged 25, charged with breaking and entering the shop of Sybil Muriel Townsend on August 5 and stealing confectionery, etc., valued nt £l6 14/-; also with breaking and entering the shop of Raymond Lawson McDonald with intent to commit theft. In a statement to the police the female accused said she was in business ip Queen Street as a mercer and had knoivn Skinner who had called at her shop on business on the night of August 5. Coining out of the picture theatre in Queen Street to get into her car she was met by Skinner who asked her to drive him to Epsom. She did so. She stopped the car outside a confectionery shop in Manakau road, when Skinner left the car. He returned a little later carrying a parcel and she then drove him to Khyber Pass road where Skinner again left the car. On returning he seemed excited and said: “Step on it I Go for your life I” She drove to Dominion road at Skipner’s direction and she was ultimately overtaken by the police. Skinner, who had got away, when later questioned by the police, denied that he had been with the other.accused and denied that the goods found in her car belonged to him. When he was confronted with Mrs. Wills at the police station she said he was the man with her on the previous night.

Both pleaded not guilty and we.iv committed for trial. Skinner refused bail and the woman's bail was continued.