CHARGES OF THEFT

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 10, 9 December 1932, Page 8

CHARGES OF THEFT

THREE MEN FOR SENTENCE. ACCUSED ADMIT OFFENCES. Three young men, Stanley, ltetlaw Galiichan, a carpenter, aged 22, of lAmnington Street; M'alcolm Victor Smith, a shop assistant, aged 24, of Shamrock Street, and Jack Galiichan, a labourer, aged 24, of Bryant Street, appeared km remand before Messrs J. H. Stevens and T. R. Lees, J.P.’s, in the Magistrate’s Court today to answer a series of allegations. The charges preferred were as follow ;

Against all three accused : That on or about November 2, at Palmerston North, they did break and enter by night the shop of Henry Ricketts in Rungitikoi Street and steal therefrom tobacco and toilet requisites of a total value of £.48 4s 9d; that on or about October 5, at Palmerston North, they did steal ties, shifts, hats, belts and sundry articles of a total value of £lO 9s 2d from Arthur Douglas Wright; that on or about November 15, at Palmerston North, they did break and enter by night the office of Electrolux, Ltd., and steal therefrom cheques and money of a total value of £76 Is 6d; that on or about October 20 they did by night break and enter the office of Taringamotu Totara Sawmills, Ltd., and steal therefrom money and cheques of a total value of £3O 7s Id; that on or about October 20 they did by night break and enter the office of the Taupiri Coal Company with intent to commit a crime; that on or about November 2 they did break and enter by night the office of the National Cash Register Co., of Australia, Ltd., with intent to commit a crime. Against Stanley Rotlaw Galiichan and Malcolm Victor Smith: That on or about October 9, at Palmerston North, they did attempt to break and enter by night the shop of Edwin Edwards with intent to commit a crime; that on or about November 6 they ctm break and enter by night the shop of Eric Howard in Rangitikei Street and steal therefrom money and cheques of a total value of £44; that on or about November II they did by 'night break and enter the shop of Warner and Mochan and steal therefrom £3 6s 2d in money; that on or about November II they did break and enter by night the shop of Ernest Ball and steal therefrom cigarettes and tokens of a total value of £8; that on November 10 they did break and enter by night the shop of Thwaites and Co. and steal therefrom money and goods valued at 12s; that on or about November 25 they did attempt to break and enter the premises of Bircli and Sons in Ferguson Street with intent to commit a crime therein.

Against Stanley Retlaw Galiichan and Jack Galiichan ; That on or about July 30 they did break and enter by night the shop of Offers, Ltd., and steal therefrom six pairs of shoes valued at £7 11s 6d. Senior-Detective Quirke stated that accused would be admitting the offences. Mr J. Grant appeared for the three accused. EVIDENCE OF WITNESSES.

Evidence was given by Donald George Walker, manager, of Offers, Ltd., tlie Square, that on August 1 six pairs of shoes were missing from* the stocks and the boxes had been left behind. Admittance to the premises appeared to have been gained by using a key to the front door. He had identified at the police station a pair of shoes which were portion of the stolen property. Edwin Edwards, a butcher, of Chelwood Street, stated that when he arrived at his premises on November 10 he found tho lock on the door would not work. An unsuccessful attempt was found to have been made to gain entrance to the shop by forcing the door. David Bell, manager of Electrolux, Ltd., testified that on Suifday, October 16, he visited the shop premises and found the door had been burst open, the lock being forced clean off. Three cash boxes, containing £55 11s 6d in cash and £2O 10s in cash, were found to be missing. ■ Robert J. Mclvor, manager of Tanngamutu Totara Sawmills, Ltd., gave evidence that when he arrived at the premises on October 16 he found they had been broken into by the smashing of a pane of glass. The cash box, containing 7s Id and a post-dated cheque for £3O, was found to be missing. James E. Larsen, manager of the Taupiri Coal Company, Main Street, stated that he had found the lock on the front door had been broken and the door and slide of the office forced. There was money there in the safe, but nothing was stolen. Fay Ryder, in charge of Bircli and Sons’ confectionery shop, Ferguson Street and residing on the premises, stated that when she returned in the evening of October 2o after being absent, two young men were standing in the dark ‘in the doorway. She could not identify them.., The lock of the door was missing, but nothing was Evidence was given by Henry Ricketts hair dresser and tobacconist, of Rangitikei Street, that ,he visited the premises at 7 a.m. on November 3 to find the door broken open and goods taken off the shelves. He had seen in the detective office articles resembling the missing goods. Cross-examined, witness said practically all the stock* win* taken and an amount of £2O would not cover the loss. Edward Porteous, manager of the National Cash Register Company or Australia Ltd., said that he had found the lock had been broken off the door of the office. One of the registers, the only one with the door closed, was damaged. Nothing was missed from the premises. . , _ . 1T a Evidence was given by Eric Howard, grocer, of 110 Rangitikei Street, who lives on the premises, that at 6.40 p.m. on November 6 he left the premises unoccupied and everything secure except a window, which was closed but not locked. When ho returnod at 8.30 p.m. he found the window open, a box on the floor empty and £22 in cash and £22 in cheques missing. _ Albert J. Kneebone, manager of Thwaites and Co., Ferguson Street, stated that on November 11 he found the shop had been broken into and the contents of the till (small change ami ’stamps) taken ns well as small goods. I Frank Manning an employee of War. ner and Moclian, gave evidence that 'on November 12 he found that the 'door of the premises had been forced and £3 6s 2d taken from the till. Ernest Ball, hairdresser and tobacconist, Main Street, stated in evidence that on November 12 ho arrived at his ! premises to find the police in charge. The front door had been forced open and goods of a total value of £8 were missing. STATEMENTS TO POLICE.

Constablo E. H. Compton gave evidence that with Detective Barling lie had made inquiries into the cases and on December 5- he interviewed accused, who handed over a quantity of property which they said was the proceeds of tho burglaries. Jack Gallichan made a statement admitting his part in the offences. Ho said lie had been out of work for two years and wanted money. The three accused had given every assistance in clearing the matters up. Detective Barling stated that he had interviewed the three accused, who had admitted the offences witli which they were charged. Stanley Gallichan

made a statement that he was a single man and had been out of work for eight months. He admitted his share of the offences and opening show cases with a key. Malcolm Smith, a single man, who had been unemployed for two years, made a statement admitting his part in various offences. This concluded the evidence for the police, and the three accused all pleaded guilty to the charges preferred against them. They were committed to the next session of the Supreme Court at Wellington for sentence. Hail was fixed in accused’s own recognisance each of £IOO and two sureties each of £IOO and £SO. The Bench stated that it was .not usual to grant bail where men were under sentence, but it would be allowed in this case on account of the youth of accused.