THIEVES CAPTURED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23470, 6 October 1939, Page 4

THIEVES CAPTURED

' STEALING , MOTOR PARTS b - [TRUCK> OWNER KEEPS WATCH [from our OWN' correspondent] HAMILTON, Thursday The story of a vigil kept by a farmer for two men who were stealing spare parts ,from his motor-truck was told in ,tho Hamilton Police Court to-day, when jtwo brothers, Steven William Hye, aged 28. and John Alfred Rye, aged 20, both sharemilkers, of Te Kowhai, appeared before Mr. S.' L. Paterson, S.M., on charges of stealing a motorcar wheel and two tyres, and attempting to steal other parts. Detectiyo A. J. White said that the motor-truck in question had broken idown and the owner had left it on the side of the road to Whatawhata while ffche engine was being rep.'tired. On September 27, the owner discovered that a rear wheel had been removed and lie decided to keep watch for the next few nights. At about 11 o'clock on the night of September' 20. the two accused went jto the truck with tools and commenced to remove some more parts. The owner of the truck, who was carrying arms, held the. two men up. O'hey offered no resistance and when the police arrived they still had their hands ip the air. Mr. King said that the older brother had only recently been married and his wife was thoroughly ashamed of him. Neither of them had ever been in any trouble before. On the first charge, each was convicted and fined £'o, in default 21 days' imprisonment. Ori the second charge •they were convicted and discharged.