YOUTHFUL BURGLARS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20888, 2 June 1931, Page 11

YOUTHFUL BURGLARS.

SUBURBAN SHOP ENTERED.

ACCUSED S7'EAL CIGARETTES

Two youths, Richard Knightly Ilodder, aged 18, labourer, and Reginald Walter Barker, aged 17, signwriter (Mr. Noble), were jointly charged in the Police Court yesterday with breaking and entering a residential shop in Bright Street, Eden Terrace, and stealing a quantity of cigarettes valued at £1 15s 3d.

Robert Patterson Gibson stated that on the night of May 21 his premises were broken into and a number of packets of cigarettes stolen. An examination of the building disclosed chisel marks beneath a window, the catch of which was broken.

Detective Slater said he searched the room of Hodder on May 23 and found 18 packets of cigarottes in a trunk. Questioned by witness, accused said he won the cigarettes at a gamo of chance, but subsequently admitted having stolen them from Mr. Gibson's store. In a voluntary written statement, in which he implicated Barker, Ilodder said he broke into the shop as ho was "hard up." Corroborative evidence was given by Detective Hayes. He produced a written statement, in which Barker acknowledged having committed the offence with which ho was charged. Witness said both accused had been quite frank with the police. The magistrate, Mr. F. K. Hunt, committed the accused, who pleaded guilty, to the Supreme Court for sentence. No application was made for bail.