DISCOVERY OF A “PLANT”

New Zealand Mail, Issue 759, 17 September 1886, Page 24

DISCOVERY OF A “PLANT”

For some time past complaints have been rife in Wellington of petty thieving being carried on to a large extent. Back yards and gardens have been indiscriminately plundered of small but necessary articles, and flowers have been “ removed ” in large quantities. A discovery made on Wednesday by the polics will probably account very amply for these little marauding excursions by night. It appears that at about 4 o’oloek on Wednesday afternoon Mr Flocktou, jun., of Mannersstreet, saw two small boys removing sundry articles—a box of mathematical instruments and two rattles—from the front of his shop, where they were hanging. Mr Flockton at once notified Constable Madden of the matter, and the two youthful delinquents were, very shortly, captured and placed in safe keeping. Their names are William Cook (ten years of age) and Thomas Cook (eight yearß of age). Subsequently a search warrant was taken out and the residence of the boys’ parents, at Pipitea Point, was searched. There an enornmous quantity of goods of a variety that would have done credit to. the establishment of Mr Venus, was discovered. There were soft goods, pieces of linen and calico, cotton prints, lustres, jackets, underclothing, straw hats, accordeons, boots and shoes, carpenters tools, fancy goods—and, in short, samples of everything that comes under the miscellaneous. Mr Flockton and Mr May identified a number of the articles as having been stolen from their establishmeats. The whole family of the Cooks were at once taken into custody on a charge of having stolen property in their possessionfather, mother, and a girl named Charlotte, 33 years of age.

The recovered property is now at the police station in four trunks. Persons who have lost articles are requested to call and ascertain whether any of this stock belongs to them.