CAREER OF CRIME

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22346, 18 February 1936, Page 17

CAREER OF CRIME

THEFTS AND MISCHIEF YOUNG MAORI'S ESCAPADE ASKED POLICE FOR LIFT [from our own correspondent] Hamilton. Monday The story how a Maori, Hapi AtutaHi, aped .23, unwittingly asked the police, who were looking for him on a charge of conversion of a motorcar. for a lift and was taken into cuutodv, was told in the Hamilton Police Court to-day. Accused admitted converting a car, valued at £595, owned bv John Cleary, of Hamilton, to his own use. A series of charges of committing mischief and minor thefts was also admitted. Detective' C. P. Bclton prosecuted and said that on February 5 Atutahi found Mr. deary's car with the key available iif a Rotorua street. Petrol Pump Robbed He took possession of the car and vent to Paengaroa, where he broke the lock of a petrol pump and sto'ie some petrol. He returned to Rotorua, where he damaged two other petrol pumps and helped himself to petrol. He also stole a quantity of biscuits, cigarettes and other goods from a Ngongotalni store. On arrival at Cambridge accused took a number-plate from a car and affixed it to the vehicle he was driving. Atutahi then drove to Auckland. and later he visited Te Kuiti. Chased by Patrol In a statement accused said he went ' into a watertable near Te Kuiti and Tvas pulled out. He was chased by an Automobile Association patrol, but by accelerating to 85 miles an hour he left his pursuer behind. On turning a corner at Hangatiki the car „ skidded and went into a ditch. After hiding for a time he hailed an approaching car and asked the driver for a lift.' He then learned that the occupants were Sergeant Sparks and Constable Collins, of Te Kuiti, who took him to the police station. The magistrate, Mr. S. L. Pat-er-gon, said he. regarded the case as serious and he must impose a penalty which would be a lesson to accused and a deterrent to others. On the conversion charge Atutahi was senteheed to a period of reformative detention not exceeding two years. On two other counts he was sentenced to sevefl days' imprisonment.