THE DOWNWARD PATH

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 10964, 28 July 1921, Page 5

THE DOWNWARD PATH

YOUTHS’ DARING ESCAPADE

MANY DWELLING HOUSES ENTERED AND ROBBED. COMMITTED FOR SENTENCE. As a sequel to the somewhat alarming number of thefts reported in the month of J use last, from dwellings in all parts of the city, three youths, whose names were Charles Norris (Mr W. E. Leicester), Herbert Rowland Crawford (Mr A. B. Sievw-right), and Leo Patrick Elldson (Mr P. W. Jackson) came before Mr J. S. Evans, S.M., .in the Magistrate's Court yesterday to answer no less than ten charges _of breaking and entering, nine of which included tliett, the other being with ‘‘intent to commit a crime.” The series of alleged offences had been, according to the charge sheet, committed -between June 15th and June 28th. 1921. Commencing on June 15th, apparently the youths decaded on a system of working, and on June 17th and 24th it is alleged that they broke into two places in the same day. In most instances money was said to have been stolen, the total amount set out on the charge sheet aggregating the sum of £39 Is fid. ACCUSED PLEAD GUILTY. Counsels for accused intimated "(hat pleas of guilty would be entered in each ease. Detective-Sergeant Andrews conducted the prosecution. The following is the evidence of one of the tenants, there -being practically no variation in the other evidence of the various complainants involved. Cohn D. Truebridge, a licensed surveyor, said he resided at Rosen oath. On June loth last he left his bouse at about 8 a.m. and was away for more than a week. Before leaving the premises he locked the windows and doors. On returning to the house on June 24th he found that he could not open the front door, so -proceeded to the roar of the house, where he found the side door open, and a-Iso the window. On going inside -he found that the front door had been tampered with. A sovereign and a ten-shilling note had been removed during his absence. THE SIGN OF THE CHIMNEY. Evidence was given by Detective Nuttatl that he intea-viewed the accused in regard to the matter. Ellison, he said, had told him he was only eighteen years of age and had been living at different boardinghouses all over the town. He had conspired with the other two lads to break into -some houses and secure -funds. They, watched the houses which were not emitting smoke from'their chimneys and were usually successful in regarding -this as a sign of non-occupancy. At the ootnolusion of the evidenoe the accused entered a plea of guilty, and were committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.