MOUNT EDEN ROBBERY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20075, 12 October 1928, Page 16

MOUNT EDEN ROBBERY.

ACCUSED MEM IN COURT.

STATEMENTS TO THE POLICE

SENTENCE ON OTHER CHARGES

How Mr. and Mrs. George Pearce. of [Mount Eden. were, robbed of £6 on ihe night- of September 28, about 100 yds. away from their home, was told in the Police Court yesterday, when Roy Edward 'lrask. aged 22, plasterer, and Norman Travers, aged 22, seaman, denied a charge of com jnitting robbery with violence. I liev also pleaded not guilty to a charge of converting to their use on the same day a lalbot Car, belonging to Cavanagh and Company, motor mechanics, Svinonds Sheet Pleas of guilty were entered by Joseph Jlcniy Tia-k, aged -18, carter, his son. ."Roy. ami Travel's, to a further charge of converting to their use an Essex car, be longing to Bert Shorter, proprietor of a rental car garage, Auckland, on the day after the Mount Eden hold-up. A pica of guilty was entered by Roy Trnsk, who was further charged with stealing six gallons ot petrol. Returning home together from their ViusineSs, Mr. ami, Mrs. Pearce were attacked by two men. First Mr. Pearce was tripped up, and when an attempt to snatch an attache case ho was carrying failed, the thieves grabbed Mrs. Pearce's handbag, containing £6. Willi this they

ran awn to a 'wait hip motor-c.iv. Sumo difficulty was experienced in starting tlie car and bv (ho time it was going Mr Pearco iiad jumped on (lie running-board. " 1 think 1 kept on the running-board of the cai for about a mile and a-half," said f'earce, in evidence "One of the iripn told run to get off 01 ho would kill me. He lield something in his hand which I thought was a revolver. When 1 saw this I got off and as I did so I bulimy eye, grazed my face and hurt my unkle I recognise Trask as the man driving the car. I have no doubt about it, I should say Travel's is the man who jva3 sitting beside him." Tiat the Talbot car alleged to have been Tisec by Trask and Travels was recovered in ( reen Lane the following morning was statid liy Robert Graham, traveller for Cavitiagh and Company. A card bearing the namo and address of Mrs. I'earce was found in the car. Confessions of guilt wore contained in statements made by both accused to Detective O'Sullivan. They revealed the plan they had conceived, stating they took the Talbot car to assist them in the hold up. The revolver tJiry used was only a toy water-pistol which had since been thrown away. On tilt following day they hired one of the -rental cars with which to drive from. Auckland. Roy Trask stated ho drove the car to a garage to get petrol, and after tho attendant had put six gallons in the. tank lie asked for a lamp bulb. ; While the attendant was away getting it, he drove away without paying for thj- petrol. Having pleaded not guilty to the charge? of robbery with violence and of convert irig C.i varingh and Company's car to thei:

use, the younger Trask and Travels were committed to the Supreme Court for trial On the charge of converting the Essex cai to theii use each of the three accused was convicted and sentenced to three months' imprisonment "This is the sort of thing you probably regard as clever," said the magistrate, Mr. F. K. Hunt, when sentencing the younger Trask to 14 days' imprisonment for theft of tho petrol. Joseph Henry Trask was sentenced to six months' imprisonment for obtaining £3 15=! fiom Robert C. Hughes by means of a valueless cheque.