THEFT FROM LINER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23428, 18 August 1939, Page 13

THEFT FROM LINER

CLOCK WORTH £l5O FILM MAGNATE'S PROPERTY GIRL ADMITS OFFENCE PROBATION FOR ONE YEAR A girl aged IS pleaded guilty in the Police Court yesterday, before Mr. J. Marling. S-.M., to a.charge of stealing a valuable 18-carat gold, travelling clock, the property of the American film magnate, Adolf Zukor, at Auckland on July 25. Detective-Sergeant McHugh prosecuted. Detective A. Moore said he interviewed the accused on July 26. In a statement to the police, read to the Court, accused stated that about. 9 o'clock the previous night sho and another girl went 011 board the Niagara to see a woman friend, who was employed on the ship. As" accused and her companion from the shore were passing a first-class cabin, accused saw what sho thought was a brass cigarette case lying on the bed and took the case. Later, on examining it, she saw that it was an eight-day clock enclosed in an 18-carat gold case. After she arrived home she decided to take the clock to the police. She would not have taken the case had she thought it was valuable.

Clock to be Returned Before the clock was brought to the police, Detective Moore said he found subsequently that an attempt had been made to dispose of it to a pawnbroker' This was admitted by. accused in a further statement. Xo deal was made. Detective-Sergeant McHugh said the girl, aged IG. who went on board the Niagara with accused, would be appearing in the Children's Court. He added that the clock and case were of solid gold, worth- £l5O, and belonged to one who was a multi-millionaire, he believed. Accused came from a good family, and she was not the type that made a practice' of visiting ships in port. The owner of the clock would be passing through Auckland again shortly and it would be returned to him in good condition. The worst feature of the case was that accused had tried to dispose of the clock. Magistrate's Decision The magistrate said he understood that accused realised the wrong she had done and was very sorry, and was not likely to commit a similar act again. Accused was placed on probation for one year, and was ordered to lnake restitution of los Bd, incurred in cable and telephone messages concerning the clock. An order was made for the clock to be returned to the owner.