OFFENCE ADMITTED

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVII, Issue 93, 17 March 1927, Page 3

OFFENCE ADMITTED

ROBBERY AT DAY’S BAY. THREE BROTHERS BEFORE COURT. WELLINGTON, March 17. Three brothers, Albert, Joseph and Lawrence Windsor, aged 31, 28 and 25 years respectively, vho are at present serving a sentence of 12 months’ imprisonment for escaping from custody at Palmerston North, appeared before Mr E. Page, S.M.; in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday charged with breaking and entering the shop of Charles Greenwood, and stealing goods of a total value of £ll9 9s 6d.

The charge was a sequel to the robbery at Day’s Bay pavilion on the night of January 5, when the safe on the premises was taken, and the shop ransacked, the goods stolen comprising cigarettes, tobacco, groceries, chocolates, postage stamps, camera films, and plum puddings. Mr J. F. R. Wallace appeared for the three accused, who pleaded guilty. Charles Greenwood, proprietor of the Day’s Bay pavilion, gave evidenco of finding the pavilion broken into on the morning of January 6. The window at tlio rear of the office had been forced open, and there were marks of an instrument on the door leading from the shop to the office. All the goods mentioned were missing, but ho found a quantity of them left outside the place. A bag of sugar had been emptied on the kitchen floor, and tho bag taken. Hetective P. Kearney said there were marks of a, motor vehicle drawn up close to the back of the premises. On January . 7 be searched the rooms of. Albert Winclr-or nr.d his wife at 35 King’s Road, Lower ITutt, but found nothing. Later in the day he made a fruitless search of the house occupied by Joseph and Lawrence Windsor and their parents in Witako Street, Lower Hutt. All accused denied any knowledge of the robliery. On January. 27 the safe was recovered in a creek un- | der the concrete bridge at the junction of Taita Gorge and Stokes Valley. On February 3 the three accused were brought to the detectives’ office in connection with tho theft of the safe and other offences. They were interviewed till after midnight/ but would admit nothing. A tire lever was taken from Lawrence Windsor’s, car, and when fitted into the marks on the door of ’ the Day’s Bay pavilion corresponded exactly. On February 12, Albert Windsor showed him where the cash box and safe drawer taken at the Day’s Bay robbery were hidden, at Akatarawa. He also showed witness the spot were the safe was thrown into the creek, and various holes in the garden of the house in Witako Street, Lower Hutt, where, he said, his brothers had hidden the goods at the time the houso was searched. Albert Windsor also made a statement to the effect that he wished to disclose everything concerning burglaries at Day’s, Bay pavilion. Lower Hutt Theatre, Levin railway station. Otaki dairy factory and Pahiat.ua railway station. He had not helped his brothers to do the job at Day’s Bay, but the latter had afterwards told him all about it. From Lower Hutt the stolen goods were taken and "planted” at Akatarawa, and from there to Manakau, where Albert Windsor went to reside. Virile visiting bis brother in prison at To Awamutu, in company with Lawrence and Joseph, the latter had told him. that. they had. attempted to blow open the safe at the Lower Hutt Town Hall, hut were disturbed. Further evidence was given of how the accused bad been shadowed at Akatarawa, and Manakau, and how the police had recovered the stolen goods, as well as a benzine tin containing forty plugs of gelignite and a handbag containing detonator caps. The accused had finally been questioned together in prison on March 11, where they all admitted committing the offence at Day’s Bay. The three brothers pleaded guilty,, and were committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.