Crash That Betrayed a Burglary

NZ Truth, Issue 1030, 22 August 1925, Page 4

Crash That Betrayed a Burglary

story of a Jewellery Robbery

It was the merest chance that a carrier and. his young lady, when walking tip Queen Street, Auckland* and passing the bottom of Wakefield Street, should hear the crashing of glass and proceed, along the side street to' the scene of the smash — but by so doing they disturbed a burglar m his work.

A very unusual- exhibit m the shape ' of a piece of iron 'about the size .of" a Mills grenade lay m front of Chief Detective Cummings on his table m the Auckland Magistrate's Court, when he opened the prosecution against George Thomas Bates, who was 'charged with breaking . and ilhe secondhand shop of Hans^Emil Hansen and stealing therefrom six^, gold watch chains, four .bracelets, agents brooch, and other articles of jewellery, valued at £30. He was represented by Mr. J. J. Sullivan. Magistrate Poynton was on the Bench. : ' • 3 ' Iron Implement Found. ' ...... After the articles. , stolen had been identified by' Hans ■.Hansen, Robert Henry Walker said that WhilerTwjftjlkingr up Queen Street with a lady friend he had;, heard a crash .of glass .which came from the direction of Wakefield Street. He went up the street to -see what had happened, and, as. he did so, he observed a man leaving the shop .window of Hansen. As witness went up the street the man walked off. As witness drew nearer, the retreating figure increased its speed, till ultimately the man ahead disappeared into the darkness at a gallop. Witness saw m the shop window a piece of iron lying among some jewellery . m a glass case inside. The 'window was. broken, and there was a . hole about a foot square,

through which a hand could. i -.jasily have been passed to extract jewellery. Constable Kemp, who was met by the previous witness, gave corroborative evidence. Harry Solomon stated that accused pawned a gold chain with him. for 10/-, giving- the name -of J. Cook, Wellesley -Street. ' The chain was produced, and was identified by both Hansen and witness. Guy Renata, a young Maori, who said he was. a married man, a laborer, and resided at Hobson Street with hi.s wife and child, deposed that he know | the accused, who came to his house one night and shouted, "Are you m, Guy?" /."•.'. - Mr. C.ummings: Ton are the Guy? — Tes. - (Laughter.) Accused asked tor a cup of boiling water and soap, which were given. Witness then went out for twenty minutes to see about a job, and when he returned accused was Still m the house and the cup contained very black water. The pair then went out for a walk, and during the stroll the accused tried to, sell: a chain to a bookseller , for 10/-, as he said he wanted money lor a car .fare. On seeing the .accused a day or two Inter, accused said that he did not have, io

keep the chain long as he had raised "ten bob" en it at Solomon's. On that occasion accused had a parcel, which he took out of his pocket and placed m the chimney recess, stating that he would return for it later.' That evening:, however, three detectives came U> the' house of witness and they found the parcel m the chimney recess. Witness said he had never had any of the jewellery on him at any time, and when he was ' search ed by the detectives nothing was found. Constable Watts said that when lie was m ,a room' at the watch-house he f blind v a gold chain m the -corner 'of t^e room. Acting-Detective Craigie stated that he saw accused going, into a Chinaman's shop, where he apprehended him; When spoken to by witness, accused said: "Who the hell are you? You have. nothing on. me.; -I>vill discuss this matter with . Detective Barling." Witness found a parcel of jewellery m accused's, coat pocket.Dirty Water Clue. Detective Barling said he had Interviewed accused m regard to the jewellery produced. It was evident that the jewellery had been recently clean-ed,-'and this could be done with soap and, boiling water. Witness read a statement made by the accused, m which he set forth that he had been employed by a firm of land agents and had been making £12 a week from sales and commission. Bates paid that when he was m the room at the police station with Renata, he had

seen the latter throw the chain into the corner of the room. Witness said that he knew for a-' fact, that Renata had never had a chain, but the accused said he would swear that Renata had thrown it there, He also stated that Renata had asked him if he knew any Chinaman who wanted gold, as he had a parcel of it to sell. He said he had been saving it up. Accused said he knew a Chinaman who might buy it, a?id Renata remarked that he would let it go ..at anything reason ab re, as he wanted the money badly. He went to interview a Chinaman m . Hobson Street, when he was accosted by Detoctive Crnigie. Accused also said that Renata had told him that he had broken a jeweller's window with a brick, and tliat a policeman then came along and he had spoken to him. Accused said that he did not know at tfto time that a jeweller's window had been broken m that -way. This concluded the case for the prosecution. Bates said he would plsatl. not guilty and that he would keep his side of the story for the Supreme Court. Bail was fixed .at £200, accused to report twice daily to the police.