“YOU ARE LOOKING FOR ME”

Northern Advocate, 8 April 1935, Page 4

“YOU ARE LOOKING FOR ME”

EARLY GALL ON POLICE. YOUNG MAN ADMITS. ROBBERY. MEN’S CLUB ENTERED; The story of a young man who walked into ’ the , Whangarei . Police Station in the early hours of a recent morning \ and confessed to robbing the Whangarei Men’s Club was told at Court this morning, when Richard Jackson' Ruff Moyle' was charged with breaking and entering; and the theft of £3 tieldnging to the club.- • v ■,

The J.Ps. were Messrs C. F. Col-:, lins and C. H. Chissell, and accused was represented by Mr D. L. Rpss. The . , clnb - caretaker, Thotmas George. Hironsy’ said that, oh opening the premises on the morning of April 3,. he was surprised to find a dessert knife' lying oh pne of , the tables in the 'iouhge. . 6*C" investigating -he found tkat one of the boxes containing biting bn the;. h . been broken open and the Contents, about £2 to £2 10/, had been removed, A„ similar box in the .billiards room was locked, bht empty, and he presumed that this also had been robbed and about 13/ taken. John Duncan, night watchman employed by Whangarei business people, said that when he discovered one of the front Windows in the club open about 2.10 that morning, he shone his. light inside, but everything appeared to be in order. Constable J. V. Leslie said that at 1.15 o’clock on the morning of April 5 accused walked into the station quite sober. “You are looking for me,” he said, and then admitted having broken into the club. After being warned that any statement would be used in evidence against him, Moyle proceeded to make avoluntary declaration. He gave his. age as 24, said he was single, and, since leaving a farm labourer’s job at Tikipunga, had been sleeping out, having nowhere else to stay. Gn the night of the robbery, Moyle -continued in his statement, he opened, an unlocked window facing the railway embankment, entered the club premises, and proceeded to break open two ,of the boxes, from which he took money.

Constable J. Norris said "that in conversation after giving the statement, Moyle told him that he had entered the club ■ building, about 2 a.m.. and used wax matches for light. With a table knife, which he found in the dining-room, he prised open a box, from which he took about £2. Making his way into the billiardsroom, he. prised open another box, placed a pencil in the opening, and removed coins amounting to about £l. The constable said that Moyle described subsequent trips to Hikurangi, and how he had played billiards, had a few drinks and bought food with the money.

To.! Mr Ross: “So far as I know, Moyle was ' not under suspicion when he gave the statement. He is on probation, and I was making inquiries about him, as he had been reported as a missing friend.” Moyle pleaded guilty and was remanded to the Supreme Court for sentence.