SYRIAN CROOKS

NZ Truth, Issue 1199, 22 November 1928, Page 9

SYRIAN CROOKS

Two Burglars Operating In Shops

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Duneclin Rep.) Owing to the initiative of a young constable who was on night duty m Invercargill recently, two young Syrians, whom the police regard as the leaders of a gang of foreign criminals responsible for a considerable increase m burglaries m southern districts during the past few months, were brought to book at the Dunedin Supreme Court assizes recently. CEEING an unattended car outside some business buildings at a late hour, one night, the constable took a note of the registration number. As a result of this information, the police net dropped upon John . C.oory and Anthony David, the pair being .charged ,with breaking and entering, on or about March 18, the •premises of Kilroy and Sutherland, Dunedin, and stealing clothing and other articles valued at £1G!)/13/-; that they carried out a similar raid upon J. and A. Wilkinson's, Dunedin, on May 3, stealing keys worth £1 and cash amounting to JiJG; and that they entered and stole from the shop of John Watson, Port Chalmers, £119/5/- m cash oh September 1. In a strenuous address to the jury, Lawyer. White, appearing for both accused, failed to discount the strong evidence of the Grown, and both prisoners were convicted on each of the three counts. Before sentence was passed by Judge MacGregor, counsel for accused pointed out that' Coory was only 23 years, of age and had come to New Zealand as a baby. There was really nothing on -which to base the police contention that accused was a "dangerous criminal, " counsel asserted, despite previous convictions. Relations had promised, counsel concluded, to endeavor to have the two men returned to Syria if the court could facilitate tKis end. In 1 passing sentence, his honor observed that it was perfectly evident that the two men were professional burglars. At least two safes had been robbed m. a way which showed the work of skilled and practised hands, no doubt the result of the pair's experiences during the last year. "It is my clear duty to impose a substantial sentence on such men. Both will be sentenced to four years' imprisonment with hard labor on each of the three charges; terms to be concurrent."