"MRS. BILL SIKES"

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23103, 30 July 1938, Page 2 (Supplement)

"MRS. BILL SIKES"

RAIDS BY WOMEN GOODS REMOVED IN PRAM WINDOWS AND DOORS SMASHED rpWO women housebreakers, each of whom was described as a "modern Mrs. Bill Sikes, weie sentenced at Middlesex Sessions The women, one a widow with four children, the other, the wife of an invalid, are Mrs. Violet Van Bien, aged 34, and Mrs. Therese Medrick, aged 3D, and they pleaded guilty to charges of housebreaking and theft. Mrs. Van Bien. who asked that 13 additional charges should be taken into consideration, was sentenced to la months' hard labour; Mrs. Medrick, who wished account to be taken or two additional cases, received nine monthshard labour. What has caused much discussion in London is #hc statement of Mr. St. John Mickletlnvait, K.C., chairman of Middlesex Sessions, that the women were "skilled thieves obviously working for someone else," and the suggestion that somewhere in Solio lies concealed a modern Fagin's den. Assisted in Raids The police discountenance that suggestion. They believe the women belonged to a gang of thieves, members of which must have assisted them in their raids, because some of the stolen property discovered was too heavy for the women to have carried. But they have 110 evidence to suggest that a master mind was behind the women's activities. Mr. Frederick Levy, who prosecuted the two women at Middlesex Sessions, observed that during the past two years they appeared to have operated in all parts of London. 1 hoy broke into premises by smashing windows or the panels of doors. Mrs. Van Bien was arrested while leaving a liouso in Priory Gardens, Highgate. She was laden with parcels and baskets containing property worth £BO. She had « jemmy and a tablu-knifo-iu hu- possession. Revolvers Stolen In a statement to the police she implicated Mrs. Medrick. She also told how in some cases stolen property had been removed 111 a bath or a perambulator. One house the women entered was that of Mr, Lauchlan McNeill Weir, M.P., at Highgate, from which they stole property worth £175. From another house they took two revolvers. Detective-Sergeant Denny, of Highgate, told the Court that the value of the property the women were alleged to have stolen was £'ll-10. Only £3OO worth had been recovered. The revolvers had not been found. Both women Mere bound over last January for stealing articles from an Oxford Street store.

A woman probation officer told the Court Mrs. Medrick had gone through a "terrific strain" in nursing her invalid husband day and night. He had no idea, offences were being committed by her.