SERIES OF BURGLARIES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21358, 6 December 1932, Page 12

SERIES OF BURGLARIES

ciiristciiurch houses GOODS WORTH £IOOO TAKEN ACCUSED ADMITS OFFENCES [by TELECiUAI'Il —OWN CORRESPONDENT] * CIIRISTCHURCH, Monday A series of offences involving the burglary of .17 houses and the theft of goods valued at over .111.000 was admitted by Wallace Mansell Jones, aged 30, an unemployed carpenter, who was charged before Mr. E. D. Mosley, S.M., in the L'olico Court to-day. Many of (he houses which were robbed, it was stated* were entered with skeleton keys, a box of which was found at accused's home. The stolen articles comprised jewellery, cullcry, household goods and clothing. In almost every case the houses were entered during the absence of the owners on holiday, (lie scries of depredations extending over a. year. Chief-Detective Carroll stated that a third of the stolen goods had been recovered. Accused had been concentrating on (he better class of homo in all parts of Christehurch, and was in the habit of taking anything he could lay his hands on. The owners of some of the goods which had been recovered could not ho found and the articles had been included in a general theft charge.

Evidence was given by the owners of houses entered by accused, one of whom stated that a note had been left in his home, reading, " Why not keep something useful in your cashbox?" Accused pleaded guilty and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.