SERIES OF CRIMES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22740, 28 May 1937, Page 15

SERIES OF CRIMES

MISCHIEF AND THEFT NUMEROUS BACHES ENTERED FOUND UNDER BED BY OWNER "Described by the police as an expedition of crime, the escapades of an unemployed farm labourer, Keginald Piper North, aged 22, in breaking into 25 baches and his own mother's home, and ' committing mischief and theft, were related when accused answered 35 charges in the Police Court yesterday. He pleaded guilty to all but one, and said he desired to he tried by a jury.

From the baches, which he entered in every case by breaking a window, accused was alleged to have stolen goods valued at nearly £2B. .Most of the goods were foodstuffs, alleged to have been consumed by accused while ho staved in certain baches, which were in the Waikowhai, Gornwallis, Laingholm, Titirangi, Duck Creek. Sandy Bay, "Wattle Bay, French Bay and Hillsborough districts, between April 11 and Slav 10.

In a statement to Detective 11. A. Wilson, accused admitted stealing a bicycle from the city and riding to Cornwallis, where he entered a bach. He stayed there for some time, and had several meals. While sitting listening to the radio on Slav 10, he heard a car-approach the bach. He hid under the bed, and two men and a woman entered and found him. They tied him up with ropes, and drove him to the Henderson police station, where he was arrested.

"A peculiar feature of accused's offences," said Detective-Sergeant AI cHugh, "was t)u» filthy state in which lie left every bach after breaking into it. He does not seem to realise the seriousness of what lie has done, and he has been quite frank in his admissions. He has been away from home for some months, and his mother has been looking for him for maintenance. Accused is more or less of the vagrant type, having previously been in trouble at To Kuiti, where has was convicted of theft." Accused was remanded in custody until next Thursday, when lie will be sentenced on all but three indictable charges, on which evidence will then be taken. The magistrate said he wanted the case to be investigated by the probation officer, who was instructed to make special inquiries as to why accused was not living at home.