CAR THIEF AT 15

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22540, 3 October 1936, Page 17 (Supplement)

CAR THIEF AT 15

JUVENILE QANG LEADER JOY RIDES FOR FRIENDS Exploits of the 15-year-old leader of a juvenile gang were related to the county magistrates in Liverpool Juvenile Court recently. The boy was charged with the theft of 12 cars, one of which belonged to Sir Robert Connell, of Blundensands; with stealing a leather wallet containing £5 10s in notes, a driving licence, and certificate of insurance from a motor-car, in company with three other boys, and with breaking into the secondary school in Cambridge Road, Waterloo. He was with two other boys in the latter aifair, when four cups won by the boys of the school were stolen. The other' two boys were bound over for 12 months, as were boys who had accompanied the ringleader on joy rides in cars he had stolen. Evidence was given by Chief-Inspector Fyles to the effect tnat Mr. George Winstanley, caretaker of the secondary school, left all the doors and windows securely fastened overnight, .Next morning he found that entrance had been gained through a window in the basement, and that four silver cups, valued at £lB, had been stolen out of casos in the main hall. Detectives Haliday and Grundy interviewed three boys, one of whom was the 15-year-old ringleader of other enterprises. The otlier two were 13 years of age. They admitted that they had committed the offence, and had buried the cups in the sandhills. An exhaustive search was made, but the cups had not yet been recovered. The car belonging to Sir Robert Connell was left by his daughter on the esplanade at Waterloo, and a police patrol car shortly after midnight sighted it being driven by the 15-vear-old boy. They gave chase, but it was not until the officer controlling the police' car had closed in on the car driven by the boy and compelled him to 6top by swerving that the lad was caught. It appenrod that the ringleader had been in the habit of taking cars and inviting companions to ride with him. In the caso where he stole the wallet containing £5 10s from a car ho gave some of the money to three other bovs, and they went to New Brighton. The boy was committed to a remand home at Bolton until he can be sent to an approved school.