"THE SILENT FIVE."

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19418, 28 August 1926, Page 14

"THE SILENT FIVE."

i BAND OF YOUNG CRIMINALS. GOODS STOLEN FROM SHOPS. COMMITTED TO INSTITUTION. [by telegraph.—press association.] DANNEVIRKE. Friday. The doings of a band of boys whom tho police stated were known as "The Silent Five," wefe investigated in tho Police Court to-dav before the magistrate, Mr. J. G. L. Hewitt. Tho evidence disclosed a somewhat startling state of crime on a wholesale scale. Tho youths concerned in the crimes attributed to "The Silent Five" were Reginald Rarney, charged with theft j Edward Powell Nicholas, who had nine charges preferred against him, two of .theft, two of attempted breaking and entering anot five of breaking and entering and theft; William John Steel, a charge of attempted breaking and entering, two charges of , breaking and entering and theft and one of theft; John Edward Phillips, a charge of theft and three charges of breaking and entering and theft; Harold Sydney Chandelcr, two charges of breaking and entering and theft. The premises entered were the business places In High Street belonging to Richard Bartlett (bootmaker), Leith Hooper (hairdresser) and " Frederick Keen (hairdresser). Senior-Sergeant O'Hara said the accused'had launched on a career of crime and.it was hard to say what would have happened had their career not been arrested. lie could not recommend probation. • All the accused were committed to the Borstal Institution, to be detained for a period not exceeding. three years. Garth Francis Dufrant, another youth, on four charges of theft, one of which he admitted, was also committed to three years' detention at the Borstal Institution. ... •'•' ..... , A Maori lad, Wjrimu J?orora t on four charges of breaking and entering and theft, was oi'dqred to be handed over to the education, authorities, having previously been an inmate of a receiving home under, the Education Department.