"LIVING BY CRIME"

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22917, 21 December 1937, Page 20

"LIVING BY CRIME"

THEFTS FROM CITY ROOMS GAOL TERM FOR HAWKER "He has been living by crime, and does not seem to make any effort to get work," said Detective-Sergeant McHugh, when Francis Halligan, hawker, aged 40, pleaded guilty to four charges of theft, before Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., in the Police Court yesterday. Accused was charged with the theft, from buildings in Auckland, between October 5 and November 4, of a cheque for £ls, the property of George Edmund Tole, a cheque for' £5 and £22, the property of Cecil H. Herdson, a handbag containing £l2 and other articles, of a total value of £ls, the property of Pearl Goodson, and a bag containing £2 10s and other articles, of a total value of £6 19s 6d, the property of Annie Lydia Williams.

In a statement admitting the offences, accused said he had taken the articles from rooms in city btiildings, at times when they were empty. On the cheque for £ls he had been advanced £8 10s in a dry cleaner's depot. Later he recovered the cheque, saying he was going to cash it, and tore it up. He had got into one building alone by saying he was a detective. "This man is a very clever thief," said Mr. McHugh, who added that only one bag had been recovered. "I do not think it is very clever to steal from empty offices; he seems to have spent most of his life in prison," said the magistrate, examining accused's record. On the first two charges sentences of six months' imprisonment, the terms to be cumulative, were imposed. Ob the other charges accused was convicted and discharged.