WAIKATO BURGLARIES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21471, 20 April 1933, Page 12

WAIKATO BURGLARIES

GOODS WORTH OYER £550 OFFENCES BY TWO MEN EFFORT TO ESCAPE FROM CELL [from our own correspondent] HAMILTON, Wednesday Thirteen charges of burglary and theft, involving property valued at £552, two charges of converting motorcars valued at £205 to their own use, and one charge of damaging a police cell, were admitted in the Hamilton Police Court to-day by James Bernard Lawless, aged 25, and Jack Kavanagh, aged 23. Mr. F. W. Platts, S.M., was on the Bench. The offences occurred in the South Auckland district in February and March last. In connection with most of the offences, it was stated that the accused were associated with Patrick William Sheeliy, aged 19, who was arrested near Putaruru by Constables Connor ami (.'otter on February 24. A largo quantity of the stolen goods was found in a cottage near Tirau on February 23. Shcehy pleaded guilty at Hamilton on March 15 to ten charges of burglary and theft, and on March 20 was sentenced at Auckland by Mr. Justice Herd man to three years' reformative detention on the indictable counts.

Arrest at Wellington Lawless and Kavanagh were arrested ill Wellington 011 March 24, and a quantity of the stolen property, including a motor-car, was found in their possession. About two-thirds of the stolen property has not been recovered. In support of the charges against Lawless and Kavanagh, evidence was given by numerous witnesses that tho following premises' were broken into and goods to the value mentioned stolen: —George Calvert and Company's mercery shop, Cambridge, £330; S. Spence's mercery shop, Frankton, £88; H. W. R. Amesbury's grocery shop, Frankton, £75; J. P. Coulter's boot shop, Frankton, £ls; F. H. Vile's saddlery shop, Te Awamutu, £l2; F. P. Pilchcr's garage, Pairere, £11; J. A. Thomas' garage, Frankton, £B. Minor burglaries and thefts wero also committed at Kio Kio, Mataniata and Wliatawhata. Tho accused admitted taking a motor-car, the property of E. G. Sutherland. of llotorua, valued at £l2O, and a motor-car owned by L. W. Flynn, of Hamilton, valued at £BS. Damage to a cell at the Hamilton police station to the value of 15a was also admitted by accused. ■Attempt Made to Escape

Constable J. F. Murphy, of Putaruru, gave evidence that on February 23 ho recovered a quantity of stolen goods from a cottage near Tirau. Tho goods had since been identified by the previous witnesses. Detective A. J. White produced statements signed by tho accused, in which they admitted all tho charges. The accused stated that they had disposed of most of tho goods, but would disclose the details.

Detective-Sergeant Thompson said the damage to the police cell was done by accused in a serious attempt to escape from custody. They cut out part of the wooden wall. However, tho attempt was futile. On a charge of converting Mr. Sutherland's car to their own use, tho accused were sentenced to three months' imprisonment. On the indictable counts, to which they pleaded guilty, they wero committed to the Supreme Court at Auckland for sentence.