NIGHT ARRESTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22404, 28 April 1936, Page 10

NIGHT ARRESTS

SEQUEL TO THEFTS CONSTABLE IN CUSTODY WATCHMAN ALSO CHARGED COURT REFUSES BAIL [by telegraph —OWN correspondent] HASTINGS, Monday The Hastings police arrested one of their own members, and also the borough nightwatchman, during the week-end, and to-day charged them with being found on business premises at night with intent to commit a crime. The two accused, James Baxter, police constable, and William Edward Cleaver, nightwatchman,. appeared at the Hastings Police Court this morning on the charge mentioned, and were remanded until May 1. For some time past there have been complaints by a number of firms that goods have been removed from business premises. One firm to suffer in this manner was Roachs, Limited, who decided that two members of the staff of the firm would sleep on the premises. This they have been doing for some nights past, and early yesterday morning they were awakened by seeing two men flashing torches and wandering through the departments. One of the men watching left the store unnoticed and telephoned to the police station. The police came on the scene and arrested Baxter and Cleaver. When they appeared before Mr. A. C. A. Hyde, J.P., this morning they were represented by Mr. S. Averill. Detective-Sergeant D. Nuttall stated that the men had been arrested only yesterday, and he formally asked for a remand until May 1. Counsel for the defence consented to the remand, and said he was not asking for bail on behalf of Baxter, but asked for bail to be fixed for Cleaver. "He is being charged, I understand, with having stolen certain articles, and he wants to prove he bought them, and to do so he requires his freedom so as to visit the firms concerned," said Mr. Averill. "I must oppose the application," said the prosecuting officer. "There are more serious charges pending, and we have further inquiries to make." Bail was refused.