BICYCLE THEFTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22350, 22 February 1936, Page 18

BICYCLE THEFTS

PREVALENT OFFENCE MAGISTRATE'S COMMENTS OWNERS MUST BE PROTECTED Tho prevalence of bicycle thefts was the subject of comment by Mr. Wyvern Wilson, S.M., when dealing with one of several of these cases at tho Police Court yesterday. It was a particularly easy act, he said, and owners had to bo protected. .

Two charges of stealing bicycles and one of stealing a sum of money were preferred against a youth, Henry Gordon Robinson. It was alleged that Robinson, at' Auckland on January 25, took a bicycle valued at £7 10s, the property of Richard Batty, and that on February 6 he stole another machine, valued at £3 15s, the property of Edward Worthington. RobinsQn also was charged with stealing £1 9s from Gordon James Walker at Kilii Kihi on January 20. Accused pleaded guilty to the charges.

After hearing evidence concerning the removal of tho bicycles, the magistrate committed Robinson to the Borstal Institution at Invercargill for two years on tho first charge and entered convictions, without penalty, on the other two. Robinson, he said, had not had

a normal life, largely through domestic trouble at his home. Accused had previously taken a bicycle when he was much younger.

" Tho probation ofheer recommends that you bo put on probation," Mr. Wilson'said, addressing Robinson, "but I do not think that would be a good idea because he could not control you." In connection with the theft of Butty's bicycle, William Seth Lloyd was charged with receiving bicycle parts valued at £2, knowing them to have been obtained dishonestly. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to seven days' imprisonment with hard labour. George Valentine Graham pleaded guilty to stealing a bicycle valued at £(3 from Charles D'Oyley Snow on Februarv 14. ,

Sub-Inspector Fox said that the bicycle had been found offered for sale in a Hobson Street shop. Accused had been previously convicted for theft and for breach of probation, although Ms last conviction had been in 1928 and lie had never been convicted on an indictable offence.

The Magistrate said that it had to bo taken into consideration that accused was not a first offender. Theft was no noveltv to him.

In asking for leniency Graham said that lie had obtained permanent employment recently. He also had a son suffering from malnutrition who needed attention.

The Magistrate sentenced accused to seven days' imprisonment.