THEFT OF PETROL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23486, 25 October 1939, Page 5

THEFT OF PETROL

SEQUEL TO RESTRICTIONS ELABORATE EQUIPMENT YOUNG MAN BEFORE COURT [by telegraph—own correspondent] ~ : PALMERSTON NORTH, Tuesday Five charges of theft and one o! •' I attempted theft of benzine were preferred against a young • man in the Magistrate's Court at Palmerston .. North. The value of the petrol in- / volved was £7 15s 2d. The case was remarkable for the elaborate equipment exhibited in Court, the magis- .. trate, Mr. H. P. Lawry, that it was in a different category ' from those in which siphons had been J used on tanks of cars. Accused was Maxwell Harry Turvey, aged 25, a carpenter and farm hand, of Palmerston North. "X A garage proprietor had ,beon disturbed late at night and had switched . on the lights to see accused with, a - hand pump connected with one of the. ; wells at the petrol station, said De- ; tective-Sergeant A. B. Meiklejohn. The proprietor had explained to tho , police that his shortages from April amounted to 204 gallons, but it was- > not suggested that Turvey was respon- . ' sible for the lot. He had admitted tak- , ing 76 gallons. Accused was residing in Palmerston North when the petrol restrictions were brought into force and-could not obtain benzine for his car. Detective-Sergeant Meiklejohn then demonstrated the equipment which Turvey had been caught operating, [t consisted of a powerful hand pump with an extension which went into the "" sump and a longer length which was connected to tho vehicle or other con- 1 tainer. , For accused Mr. H. R. Cooper said ' that the theft of the benzine was-tho result of high living encouraged by tho ; high wages young single mea were being paid. Accused had then been - working as a carpenter. Since that time he had gone to the "Oliakea air force station and was earning only 7s a day, being employed as a civilian cook. Turvey was also charged with attempting to commit suicide while in tho lock-up at the Foxton police station. The magistrate decided io postpone sentence until Thursday and to obtain the probation officer's report.