PREVALENCE OF THEFT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19806, 29 November 1927, Page 14

PREVALENCE OF THEFT.

BREAKING AND ENTERING. FIVE PRISONERS SENTENCED. " MORE FOOL THAN ROGUE." Of eight prisoners who came before Mr. Justice Reed in the Supreme, Court yesterday for sentence five had been found guilty of breaking and entering and theft. His Honor said owing to the provalence of this crime it was only in the most exceptional cases that probation could be granted. The only case of such a nature among those before His Honor yesterday was that «of Harry Cooper, found guilty of breaking and entering by night and theft from a shop at Te Kuiti. " This is one of tho few exceptional cases of breaking and entering and theft in which I propose to grant probation," said His Honor. He told prisoner he was not. satisfied lie was anything but stupid. The facts showed that no one but a fool would have attempted to do what he attempted. Everything pointed to. his being more a fool than a rogue. lie would bo released on probation for a period of three years on the usual terms and on the special condition that he paid costs, 37s 6d. " Your previous sentence of two years' imprisonment for theft does not seem to have had any good effect upon you," said His Honor in sentencing Frederick John McDonald on four charges of breaking and entering and two of forgerv. " You are rapidly becoming a confirmed criminal, if you are not that already. You will be ordered to be imprisoned and kept at hard labour for a term of three years." In sentencing Aubrey Lester Andrew, who had been found guilty on six charges of breaking and entering and theft at Auckland, His Honor said there was some excuse for a man out of employment attempting to commit crimes, but he was satisfied that the prisoner's lack of employment was due to his habits of gambling and drinking and so forth. He apparently adopted the common device of taking tho role of canvasser from house to house, and when lie found a house unoccupied of gaining an entrance and taking whatever ho could find. He would bo detained for reformative purposes for 12 months.

" The real trouble with both men is drink," said Mr. Goulding speaking on behalf of Jack Wilson and Roy John ston, who appeared for sentence for breaking and entering and theft at Pukekohe. Both offences, he said, were committed -in daylight and the men admitted having made the round of the hotels beforehand. The value of the property stolen was comparatively smill. Both men had previous convictions against them, but most if not all of the offences were the result of drink. His Honor told the prisoners it was probably unfortunate for them that this particular crime of breaking and entering was so prevalent that it was necessary to stop it by inflicting punishment in practically every case. Each accused was sentenced (o six months' imprisonment with hard labour.