"TEACHING HER DAUGHTER TO STEAL"

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 31 March 1930, Page 8

"TEACHING HER DAUGHTER TO STEAL"

GLARING CASE OF SHOPLIFTING

(By Telegraph—Special to "Tho Mail")

AUCKLAND, 29th March

A glaring ease of shoplifting by a woman, accompanied by her daughter, was (Inscribed in I lie Police Court to-day, tlic offence having taken place in Karangahapo Houcl last evening. 'Hie accused, the wife of a labourer; and one of a family which canio from the Homeland and formerly was in receipt of charitable aid, possosscd a motor car. Uehecca Gannon, aged 49, pleaded guilty lo two charges of stealing a dress valued at £2 19s 6d from one shop and a skirt valued at 17s 6d from another shop. Chief Detective Hammond said accused was living with her husband and family at Point Chevalier. She and her daughter, aged 21, were, at a Newton shop last evening when she was seen by an assistant to take a dross. Ho followed her outside and before he had time to call a constable, both women hoarded a 'bus upon which the assistant also took passage in pursuit. The accused and her daughter alighted at another shop and went over to a parked motor car in which the mother was seen to place the dress and skirt. They went into the store to make some purchases and then the assistant, a pretty smart sort of man, rang up tho detective office from which two officers wore despatched. They waited outside until tho accused came out with some groceries which were not wrapped. Tbc dress and skirt was then recovered from tho car.

Mr F. K. Hunt, S.M.: "Whose car is it?"

"Her car, sir," said Mr Hammond. Her husband is a labourer. They camo out here from Homo about six or seven years ago with very little. They got charitable assistance. They got on well."

"And now they go round in a car," the magistrate intervened. The chief delectivo went on to say that tho worst feature of the case was the fact that accused took her daughter with her when she stole tho goods and one of tho dresses fitted tho daughter. Asked for her oninion, Major Anne Gordon said that while she liad no sympathy with shoplifters she trusted that accused would not bo sent to gaol.

Mr Hunt (sharply): "There is nothing to bo said for her. She is teaching her daughter to steal. She is sentenced to 21 days' imprisonment. We will sec whether that will stop the shoplifters. A year ago I gave a woman three month's. That stopped them for a while. A few weeks ago I gave another, a month and that hasn't stopped them. Wo will see what effect this will have."