SERIES OF ROBBERIES. SUBURBAN HOUSES ENTERED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20341, 23 August 1929, Page 14

SERIES OF ROBBERIES.

SUBURBAN HOUSES ENTERED.

THREE YOUNG MEN'S OFFENCES

FORMER INMATES OF BORSTAL. Several suburban robberies which have been occupying the attention of detectives were cleared up when the depredations of three young men, former inmates of the Borstal institution, were related in the Police Court yesterday. In all there were 11 charges, tho total value of goods and money secured by members of tho trio being over £SO. Two of tho men, Cyril Patterson, aged 21, and Thomas Henry Mclntyro, aged 21, butchers, were charged with breaking and entering a dwelling in Alexander Avcnuo, Mount Albert, and stealing a money box and money valued at 5s 6d; entering another house at Mount Albert and stealing goods worth £ll 3s 6d; entering a house in Argyle Street, Morningside, and stealing 10s 6d; breaking into a houso ill Tulanekai Street and stealing £5 3s; entering a houso in Kelmarna Avenue, Homo Bay, and stealing 10s; entering a houso in Dunkerron Avenue, Remuera, and stealing £4 10s; entering n house in St. Mark's Road, Remuera, and stealing goods valued at 18s; breaking and entering another Remuera houso and stealing £1; entering a house in Lucerno Road, Romuora, and stealing two bottles of wine and £2; entering a houso in New North Road and stealing jewellery valued at £2B 8s 4d; and entering a hotiio in Ingram Street with intent to commit a crime.

The third of tho trio, Hector Donald Conuoll Conolly. aged 19, a labourer, was charged with the last fivo offoncos. All tho robberies were committed between June 12 and August 12. Chief-Detcctivo Hammond asked thai ail tho charges should bo reduced to ones of theft of the money and articles in each case, and all three pleaded guilty to tho reduced charges. "All these youths arc out on licence from tho Borstal institution, after being sent tliero for three years," continued Mr. Hammond. "Their licences will not bo up for a year. The first offenco was corn mitted 13 days after they were roloasod. After the first fivo offences were committed Conolly left to take work near Helensville, the others hanging round thtt town and continuing their thefts. The threo stole a considerable amount of jewellory and broke it up and threw it away. Altogether they did considerable damage, and very little of the property has been recovered."

Tho chief detective added that Conolly might possibly be dealt with moro leniently than'thc others, as he had gono to work.

The probation officer, Mr. W. J. Campbell, said two of the accused, Patterson and Mclntyre, required a severe lesson. Conolly was not so bad ns tho others, as he had found employment. "Ho went to work after he had committed five robberies," commented the magistrate, Mr. F. K. Hunt. "I think he should be given a lighter sentence," replied Mr. Campbell. Sentence of threo years' reformative detention was imposed on Patterson and Mclntyre, Conolly being sentenced to two years' detention.