TRAIL OF THEFT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22402, 24 April 1936, Page 18

TRAIL OF THEFT

FIVE MEN CHARGED POST OFFICE SAFE REMOVED SLOT TELEPHONES TAKEN ASSAULT ON WATCHMAN The theft of 11 slot telephones', the removal of the Kumeu post office safe on the night the building was burned, an assault on the night-watchman of Tattersfields, Limited, the theft of rifles from the Mount Albert Grammar School armoury, and numerous cases of breaking and entering were described when five young men appeared in the Police Court yesterday, before Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., to face a long list of charges. The accused were Norman Stanley Tomlin, boxmaker, aged 18; Edward Victor Tomlin, brickmaker, aged 21; Archibald Karley Burroughs, baker, aged 23 (Mr. G. Skelton); Keith Pereival Sly, gardener, aged 20 (Mr. Cleal); and Alfred William "White, metalworker, aged 24 (Mr. Jenkins). SeniorDetective Hall prosecuted. Edward Victor Tomlin, Sly and Burroughs were jointly charged with breaking and entering four shops at Titirangi and Green Bay and stealing goods valued at £6 7s sd; breaking- into a Helensville building and stealing motorcar accessories valued at £'lo 3s 6d; breaking and entering the Glen Eden post office and stealing goods worth 6s and £1 10s in money; breaking and entering the Glen Eden railway station and stealing 2s 3d in money and goods worth £1 5s 3d, and with stealing benzine worth £1 5s at Glen Eden. Telephones and Money ■? Edward Victor Tomlin, Burroughs and Norman Stanley Tomlin were jointly charged with, at Auckland, between February 13, 1935, and March 14, 1936, stealing 11 telephones, valued at £154, and £3 5s in cash, the prop, erty of the Postmaster-General. The same three were further charged with stealing 50 gallons of benzine, valued at £4 lis Bd, on two days. Edward Victor Tomlin, Sly, Norman Stanley Tomlin ' and Burroughs were charged with breaking and entering by night, on August 17, 1935. the Kumeu post office and stealing £24 10s 9d in stamps and money. Norman Stanley Tomlin pleaded not guilty to this charge. Sly, Burroughs, White and Edward Victor Tomlin were charged with breaking and entering bv night the warehouse of Tattersfields, Limited, and stealing 'rugs and other goods valued at £3 9s 3d. They were further charged with assaulting Richard Walker, jrith intent to commit theft. ' jf. Grammar School Rifles Five charges of breaking and entering the New Lynn railway station, a shop at New Lynn, two shops at Glen . Eden, the counting house of the Glen Eden Town Board (with intent to commit a crime) and stealing goods and money totalling £36 15s 8d were preferred against Sly and Edward Victor Tomlin. The same two accused were also charged with stealing six .303 rifles and two ground sheets, worth altogether £24 3s Id, the property of the Defence Department, from the armoury of the Mount Albert Grammar School. Burroughs alone was charged with stealing a motor-car mascot worth £3 10s at Auckland. ' Edward Victor Tomlin, Sly and White were remanded to appear at Hamilton on a chargo of breaking and entering the store of Martin James Morris, at Hamilton, on October 2. The goods alleged to have been stolen were valued at £7 £>s 9d. They ware also charged with stealing, a week later, at -Taupiri, 10 gallons of benzine from a store. The accused pleaded guilty to all the charges, except that Norman Stanley Tomlin pleaded not guilty to the chargg regarding the Kumeu post office. Visit to Post OffiCß Detective Aplin said he interviewed Edward Victor Tomlin in company with Constable Boag at the New Lynn police station on March 23 in connection with the telephones, and later saw Burroughs and Norman Stanley Tomlin at the detective office. The three were arrested, and after further inquiries the other two accused were arrested on March 26. Only four of the 11 telephones had been recovered, and these were in a damaged condition. The others had been thrown away in various places which the accused could not remember. The rifles and ground sheets had been found hidden in the bush at Laingholm. ' A pile of over 80 statements, nearly four inches thick, was produced in connection with the case. Apun produced a statement made by Norman Stanley Tomlin, in which he said that on August IS, when the Kumeu post office was broken into and burned down, he attended a party with Sly, Burroughs and Edward Victor Tomlin, About 11 p.m. they left and drove to Kumeu. He stayed in the car while the others went into the building and returned with the safe, and at their request he then drove about a mile down the road, where the safe was opened in front of the car. He did not know anything about the lirtf. In a statement made by Sly the fire at the post office was attributed to an oil lamp probably being knocked over when the safe was being carried out. Attack Described A large number of witnesses gave evidence. The, nightwatchman employed by Tattersfield's, Limited, Richard Walker, said that about 8.50 p.m. on October 23 he went into the despatch room. When passing a pile of rugs he discovered what he thought to be a rug covered with a piece of packing. "A man jumped up and rushed at-me, said witness. "I 'struggled with him and we both fell to the ground. \Miile we were struggling, another man grabbed my torch. 1 struggled - with the man until I. was knocked out. One of the men said, 'Let him get up,' and he helped me to my feet. One man said: 'You go easy. Take your time; we re quicker than you.' They must have gono right out. "As far as 1 could- see there was a man behind the piece of packing over the pile of rugs, and when I went ore J to examine it he grappled with me threw the packing over my head.' Conditions of Bail Mr. Skelton Submitted that the charge of breaking and entering the Kumeu post office against Norman Stanley Tomlin must fail, as he remained in the car and took no part in the actual crime. The Magistrate: He was outside, but he was in the joke. There is enough send him up on a prima facie ease. All the accused were committed t the Supreme Court on the indictable charges, and on the other charges convicted and remanded to appear o sentence after the Supreme Court si ting. Bail of £IOO was renewed for &iy and White, but. that of the other-three was increased tinctlv understood;.that they are not. ■ be seen with each other." said the magistrate. "If the are seen on _tne streets after dark bail will be cance forthwith."