YOUTHS ADMIT THEFTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18635, 29 April 1924, Page 5

YOUTHS ADMIT THEFTS.

CHINESE SHOP ENTERED. STREET BOOK BOXES RIFLED Frank Ratcliffe, aged 21, William Ellis, aged 20, Leslie Murray, aged 19, and Ernest Haywood, aged 20, were charged at the Police Court yesterday, before Mr. -J. tV. Poynton, S.M., with having broken and entered the premises of Fong Wong, fruiterer, of Pitt Street, and having stolen £3 10s, a bunch of keys, and a quantity of fruit. Additional charges of having committed wilful damage to a coffee caravan, and having stolen books valued at 3s 6d from the Mayoress' War Memorial Committee, were also preferred against accused. Mr. Sullivan appeared for Haywood and Mr. Allan Moody represented the other three accused.

Evidence was given by Fong Wong to the effect that shortly ifter midnight on April 15 he heard a noise downstairs. On going to the shop he found the cashregister had been rifled. The intruders had apparently entered through the skylight above the door. Constable Tucker said that at about 2.30 a.m. on April 16 he received a complaint that some youths had been acting in a disorderly manner at a coffee stall in Victoria Street. Witness gave chase and overtook Murray, Haywood, and Ellis in Wcllesley Street, where they had been stopped by Constable McWhirter. The youths said they were having a practical joke. As accused were being t«iken in custody, Murray dropped a bunch of keys, later identified as those missed from Wong Fong's shop. A number of books which had been extracted from the street collection boxes maintained by the War Memorial Committee were found in possession of accused. Evidence regarding the arrest of Ratcliffe was given by Acting-Detective Barling. Accused intimated that they intended to plead guilty to all the charges, and they were committed to the Supreme Court for sentence upon the indictable offence. Mr. Poynton said he would defer sentence upon the summary charges pending the Supreme Court proceedings.