THEFT BY TWO BOYS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21344, 19 November 1932, Page 15

THEFT BY TWO BOYS

PEN BOUGHT BY MAN CONVICTED OF RECEIVING How two lioys were responsible for a theft from premises in the city was revealed in the Police Court yesterday, when a Dalmation, Tom Urlich, was charged with receiving a fountain pen, valued at £1 2s 6d, knowing it to have been obtained dishonestly. The accused pleaded not guilty. George Pelham, a Victoria Street West shopkeeper, stated that on October 27 his premises were entered and numbers of articles, including the fountain pen, were stolen. A name on the pen had been partially obliterated. Evidence was given by a 10-year-old boy, who said that, accompanied by another boy, lie had gained entrance to the premises through a window. The other boy stole a number of articles and gave the pen to witness. The boy said he met the accused in tlie street and asked him if he wanted to buy the. pen. Accused paid Is for t.lic article, witness telling him that he•had found the pen. Constable Davis said the accused had admitted buying the pen and attempting to erase the name. It was stated by De-tective-Sergeant Doyle that the boy who had given evidence had been dealt with in the Children's Court. Accused had not previously been in trouble and recently he had been in poor health. Mr. W, 11. McKoan, S.M., commented that accused apparently knew he was keeping an article he had no right to, but he had not been in trouble before. Ho was convicted and ordered to. come up for sentence within six months if called upon.