SHOPS ENTERED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22936, 14 January 1938, Page 13

SHOPS ENTERED

THEFT OP JEWELLERY ADMISSION BY TWO YOUTHS THIRD PLEADS NOT GUILTY A charge of breaking and entering the shop of Thomas Robert Ballontine, watchmaker and jeweller, of 436 Karangahapo Road,' on January 3 and stealing jewellery valued at £4l 15s was brought against Aussie Harry Fielding, labourer, aged 22, Donald Meredith Harvey, farm labourer, aged 19, and Harry Samuel Johnson, labourer, aged 23, in the Police Court yesterday. Fielding and Johnson were also charged with breaking and entering the shop of Henry Nettleship, manufacturing jeweller, of 67 Karangahape Road, on January 4 and stealing jewellery valued at £4. A further charge against Johnson alleged that ho broke and entered the shop of James and Company, Limited, 214 Karangahape Road, on January 6 and stole 5s in money and a pair of shoes valued at 3s lid. Mr. W. R. McKean, S.M., presided. Mr. Noble represented Fielding and Johnson, while Mr, Sullivan appeared for Harvey. Iron Bars Removed T. A. Ballentino said that when ho went to his premises on tns morning of January 4 ho found that b?mcono had gained entry through a fanlight, two iron bars having been removed in the process. An examination repealed that about 20 new signet rings, four watches and eight gold bangles had been removed from the window. Other property missing included a savings bank box, gold expanders, medals, pendants and a sum of money. Witness identified jewellery produced as being some of that which had been removed.

James Alexander Young, a manufacturing jeweller, described separate visits to his shop by Fielding and Harvey, each of whom had submitted parcels of jewellery to bo valued. Witness had told each that he was not a gold buyer but would take the jewellery for re-making. He ppid Fielding a deposit of £5 7s and Harvey a deposit of £2 Is and held the jewellery awaiting instructions as to re-making. Fielding had given his name as Johnson and [Harvey had said his name was Baker. Hole in Side of Safe Henry Nettleship said that on entering his shop on January 5 he found that a door between the shop and the workshop had been opened and a quantity of glass was on the floor. There was also a hole in the side of the safe. Two watches, and a fountain pen were missing. Witness identified articles produced as his property. Linda Kimbell, an employee of James and Company, naid that she found a number of articles had been disturbed when she entered the company's shop on the morning of January 7. The rear window had been broken and two steel bars had been forced aside. A sum of 5s was missing from the till. A pair of shoes produced were similar to goods stocked by her firm.

Detectives Mahood and Wilson gave evidence of interviewing the accused, who had made statements regarding the charges. In connection with the first charge, the accused stated that Harvey had not entered the shop but had remained on the other side of Karangahape Road. " '•

Fielding and Johnson pleaded guilty to the various charges against them and were committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. Harvey pleaded not guilty and was committed for trial, bail being fixed at £IOO.