YOUTHFUL HOUSEBREAKERS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVIII, Issue 18574, 29 November 1920, Page 9

YOUTHFUL HOUSEBREAKERS.

A SERIES OF CHARGES. Following on a number of robberies front dwelling houses in Sydenham and Riccarton recently, tho police instituted inquiries which resulted in the apprehension of three hoys, all of the agp of fifteen years. Tho hoys vere brought before Mr SK. M'Carthy, S.M., at a sitting of the Juvenile Court on Saturday, when all pleaded guilty to charges of breaking, and entering and theft. Many and varied were the articles alleged to hare been stolen by the accused. The list included a knapsack, carpenter's brace, two packets of cards, ono pail of rubber heols, a bicycle lamp, nine gold rings, a matchbox, puree, £4 in money, two razors, three pocket-knives, one oleetrio torch, one notebook, a spoke shave, a cold chisel, a, three-foot rule, six handkerchiefs, two piccolos, two ring? of keys, a bottle of brandy, a pair of pliers, a tin of foreign coins, a wristlet watch, a. safety razor, strop and blade, a cigarette ease, a box of cigarettes, four tennis balls, a golf ball, a rubber ball, an electric torch, a fountain pen and a silver pencil, of a total valuo of over £35. the property of-various .persons. Mr. Amodeo appeared for one of the boys, Mr Tnylor for another, and Mr flee for the third. * Sub-Tnsneetor D<*w said that of thp

property etoien articles to *he valtjf of £0 16s <3ri had not been recovered..; Mr Taylor, on behalf of the accused he was representing, said that all the offences had occurred since kabaui Day. The boys had broken into dwelling houses in the day time "when the occupiers were out. He suggested that the accused should be admitted to probation as they all bore good characters.

Mr Amodeo said the boy ho was representing had been.sent on a message to one of the honses, where he met another of the accused, and they wont- in and helped themselves as there was no on© at home. • -

Mr Geo said that the mother of th« boy ho was representing": was thinking of putting him on a training ship, or fending him away into the ; country. The Magistrate said that obviously tho boys had been acting in concert. Their parents Triust pay one-third each of the total loss incurred by their boys' bfFences. Tlie boys would be conyicted and ordered.. *o come up for septe,nca caHedttpon. Each must report to the Probation Officer and to hi* local' clergyman fortnightly; and must, go.to a technical school. . They ;vould_ also he prohibited from attending picture shows for a year. . . - ■:>, Several other char.-rej against boya wore also dealt with*'by the -Magistrate

Two small hoys, who stole washing powder to tho valuo of £2 3s at Addington, were convicted and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon. They were ordered to report to the Probation Officer and Canon Bean fortnightly for a year; not to go out at nightsi' and not to attend picture shows. •

On a chnrgo of having a pea rifle in his possession a hoy under the ag» of sixteen w«s convicted <ind fined ss. Two small hoys, who were charged with stealing opal, valued at-Bs, tha property of the Railway Departm'enti were convicted and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon, tho Magistrate remarking that the picking up of coal off the railway lines was a practice which should bo stopped.