WATERSIDE THEFTS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 18143, 8 July 1919, Page 5

WATERSIDE THEFTS.

EXEMPLARY SENTENCES IMPOSED. GANG STATED TO HAVE BEEN OPERATING. [Per Press Association.] WELLINGTON, July 7. In the Magistrate’s Court Michael Crowley was charged with the theft of a number of articles from the steamer City of Dunkirk, and was sentenced to twelve months’ imprisonment. Nellie Wells, on a charge of receiving some of the goods knowing thorn to havo been disnonestly obtained, was sentenced to ono month’s imprisonment. In passing sentence, Mr Frazer, S.M., said that one part of the evidence struck him (with particular force. It was the statement that there was a gang of thieves amongst the wntersiders who had some method of dividing the spoils. Mr Frazer added: “Very many of the waterside thefts we hare had before this Court of late have been in respect of trivial articles, and the instances were isolated- Till.: appears to be something of an entirely different kind, and this is the sort of thing which it is the duty of the Courts to stop if it is at all nossible.”