CAUGHT IN THE ACT

NZ Truth, Issue 1001, 31 January 1925, Page 6

CAUGHT IN THE ACT

Pilferer Of Milk And Cream

Hjsb Pipe Fills The Depleted Cans.

One of the most impudent thefts brought to light for some time was that disclosed by Detective Meiklejohn when he gave evidence before Magistrate Poynton at Auckland against George Thomas Rumble, who was charged with stealing milk and cream valued, at £4 Bs, the property of the Auckland Mi": Co. Chief Detective Cummirigs prosecuted and Detective Meiklejohn said that m consequence of complaints of theft of milk he was detailed to keep a watch at the platform of the Milk Co's premises. He did so for some nights or mornings and at last was . rewarded about half -past two

one fine' morning by seeing the accused helping himself. Rumble was seen to go t" milk arid cream cans, extract pretty liberally from ' the contents of each; then fill up the deficiencies with water. He was' seen doing this on two occasions, and on each he employed the tifese pipe. Altogether, 12 gallons of milk were stolen and several gallons of cream. Milk was valued at 1/2 and cream at 12/- a gallon. . . i When interviewed, accused told witness that he had stolen cream on ten days and milk on four. , : , Lawyer Singer, for accused, stated that for a period of six or seven years Rumble had led a straight life. Twelve months after he was discharged "from pi'ison after ' doing a term of three months he was married, and his wife knew of his previous lapse. Together they worked very, hard indeed and had carried on business ever -ince. In one of his undertakings he had got behirid, the business being - too n.uch ! for him, and he had had to work up two other "smaller businesses, succeeding m the term' of twelve months m paying off every creditor, he. had; which involved a sum of something like £ 1000. He had only, been able to do this by consistent industry and essential, honesty. It could be readily understood, said counsel, that such an effort would throw a great physical strain on accused, and, m view, of his physical condition and the fact that he had gone straight for . the period of six or seven years, counsel pleaded -for leniency m the form -of : probation. It was only, within the last two or three days that accused had, lapsed into dishonesty.agaim .. ' / :■ ; ; -

Accused's. father was called and stated that if accused was given a, chance he wpuld pledge himself to; see' that the wayward one did not again stray, from the path of honor, v and also to insist that he at once left the work which had reduced him so much m order to overcome the effects of the strain.

In cross-examination witness said he fully realised the effect of the accused's conduct/: which made him. the more certain that ihis son did; not know, what he was doing. He quite admitted the, Milk Co. might have been prosecuted arid heavily fined for selling milk below standard. .'.':■•■'■•„■:

, Chief .Detective , Cummings stated that accused was convicted of false pretences' m 1918 ,• and sentenced ■ to three months, and also m 1908 for theft, when he underwent a similar sentence When he came . out of prison he married a very decent woman .arid they had done very well m business for some time ■ now. His milk run was doing well arid there was no need for the accused to. resort to dishonesty.. : . ,■ '

The S.M. viewed the matter seriously, he; said,' and sentenced the accused to one month on each charge, the sentences to be ; concurrent. ;. ■