YOUTHFUL BURGLARS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13725, 15 April 1908, Page 8

YOUTHFUL BURGLARS.

| BEYOND PARENTAL CONTROL. \\ ! "'-■ SENT TO BURNHAM. i pAiQUiNTRTTK of boys, whose ages ranged i from 10 to 15 years, made their' appear- ! ance- before Mr. R. W. Dyer, S.M., at 'trie Police Court- yesterday, charged on 15 I counts with breaking and entering the premises of various shopkeepers throughout the suburbs. In 'all £60 worth of goods were involved, and of that amount, £50 worth, had been secured at a jeweller's. The articles stolen included whips, spurs, a watch, a penknife, a packet of boot protectors, a handkerchief, several small sums of moisy, a number of keys and a quantity of sacks. On one occasion the haul I amounted to one penny and a key, while i at the jeweller's the young thieves secured ; about £50 worth of goods, which included | greenstone, medals, and other jewels. The I boys pleaded guilty to the charges. j Chief-Detective Marsack explained that ! the boys were absolutely beyond the conj tiol of their parents, and had the run of I the streets day and night. Their favourite ; method of gaining entrance to a building -was to hoist the smallest lad up to a con- | yenient window, and he would promptly j smash the glass, get inside, and thereby ■ leave an entrance for the remainder. 1 Mr. Dyer said that the Burnham IndusI trial .School was the only place for the | boys, and. in committing them to that • institution, he endeavoured to impress upon ; them that they would there have a chance I of reforming, and of returning as honest i lads to their people.