SEASIDE ROBBERIES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21544, 16 January 1932, Page 8

SEASIDE ROBBERIES

MAN AND WIFE PLEAD GUILTY TWENTY-TWO CHARGES Twenty-two charges of breaking, entering, and theft from various seaside residences in a number of holiday resorts around Dunedin were admitted by Kenneth Duncan M'Kenzie, aged 44, and his wife, Elizabeth Maridn M'Kenzie, aged 49, in the City Police Court yesterday., The thefts, which cover a period of nearly three years, have been the cause of a great deal of concern to the residents of Waitati, Karitane, Warrington, and other places, and the evidence taken yesterday disclosed that the total value of the goods stolen was £215, of which £lO9 worth was recovered.

Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M., was on the Bench, and the case for the prosecution was conducted by Detective Sergeant Nuttall. , The two accused, who were represented by counsel, pleaded guilty, and when the evidence was heard they were committed to the Supreme, Court for sentence, bail being allowed in the sum of £IOO, with one surety of £IOO, a condition being that they report daily to the police. ■ - ■ i

THE CHARGES. The charges against the accused were that— On or about November 22, 1931, at Warrington, they did by day break and enter the dwelling,, house /of Stanley David Smith and steal three tins of preserved meat, one part bottle of wine, and one key of a total value of 3s. On or about December 17, 1931, at Warrington, they did by day break and enter, the dwelling house of George William Gibson and steal two keys of a total value of Is.

On or about May 0, 1028, at Karitane, they did by night break and enter the dwelling house of Catherine Agnes Reid and steal three table covers, a clock, an eiderdown quilt, four cotton . quilts, 14 single cotton .sheets, nine pillow cases, 20 face towels, electric cooker, electric iron, three roller towels, one dressing gown, two carpet squares, stainless knives, and other articles of a total value of £47 6s fld.

On or about May 9, 1928, at Karitane, they did by night' break and enter the dwelling house of William Percy Seelye and steal three hearth rugs, one gramophone, one bicycle lamp, and a number of gramophone records, of a total value of £l6 6s.

On or abopt March 10, 1928, at Merton, they did by night break and /enter the dwelling house of Alexander Harris and' steal one gramophone, and two dozen stainless knives of a total value of £lO.

On or about May 9, 1928, at Karitane, they’ did by night break and enter the ’dwelling house of Sinclair Calder Sutherland and steal one rug, one cotton quilt, lady’s jersey coat, carpet square, electric radiator, reading lamp, electric iron, cutlery, shirt, barometer, 19 face towels, 10 single bed sheets, 13 pillow cases, saucepans .tinned fruits,, tinned fish, man’s shirt,, two bottles of whisky, one bottle of cocktail, one bottle of port wine, four bottles of beer; eight bottles of mineral waters, and one picture of a total value of £4l 12s. ' ■ .*•:

On or about June 7, 1928, at Karitane, they did by night break and enter the dwelling house of Elizabeth Peden and steal one dinner set and a number of tea plates of a total value of £3 10s. On or about June 12, 1928, at Karitane, they did by night break and enter the dwelling house of Edith Paterson Price and steal a quantity of bottled jam, bottled fruit,' tinned tongue, tinned sardines, and a part bottle of whisky and wine of a total value of £2.

On or about June 9, 1028, at Karitane, they .did by night break and enter the dwelling house of Percy Wallace Curtis and steal one opossum rug,, one travelling, rug, eight double bed blankets, eight bottles of jam of a total value of £2l 10s.

On or about June 8 S 1931, at Boss Point they did by night break and enter the dwelling house of Albert Edward Richards and steal crockery, cutlery, electric iron’, tray cloth and towels, one gramophone, one floor rug, one travelling rug, and 50 gramophone records of a total value of £3O Os Cd.

On or about January 25, 1929, at Karitane, they did by night break and enter the dwelling house of Sidney Alfred Gillman and steal three tablecloths, one dozen sheets, nine towels, one lady’s dressing gown, six cups and saucers of a total value of £4 Bs.

On or about June 8, 1931, at Ross Point they did by night break and enter the dwelling house of Albert James Harbrow and steal one kettle, one pair of blankets, and one towel of a total value of £3.

On or about November 16, 1931, at Karitane, they did by night, break and enter the dwelling house of Edith Paterson Price and steal one bread box and one set of brushes (in case) of a total value of £1 ss.

On or about December 14, 1931, at Merton they did by night break and enter the dwelling house of Charles Deans Hudson and steal six bottles of assorted liquor, five pounds of tea, five tins of Nestles cream, two dozen tins of C.M.C. sheep tongues, two dozen tins of preserved fruits, one pair of flannel trousers, one pair of tennis shoes of a total value of ffl 10s 6d.

On or about December 14, 1931, at Warrington, they did by night break and enter the dwelling house of Stanley Wallworth Wilson and steal one tea tin, one stud box, one brooch, one pendant, and four keys of a total value of £37 Is. On or about December 15, 1931, at Warrington, they did by night break and enter the dwelling house of Thomas Gray Young and steal one kettle and stand, one tea cosy, and 10 gramophone records of a total value of £2.

On or about December 17, 1931, at Warrington, they did by night break and enter the dwelling house of Isabella Harvey Stewarfand steal six cups and saucers, two plates, three cakes of soap, and one bread pail of a total value of £2 10s.

On or about October 11, 1931, at Evansdale, they did by night break and enter the dwelling-house of Mary May and steal one blanket, one enamel mixing bowl, one enamel basin, one cushion, and one pound tea of a total value of 13s Cd. , On or about December 14, 1931, at Warrington, they did by night break and enter the dwelling house of Margaret Waters and steal six sheets, seven blankets, one mattress, one enamel measure, and one enamel basin of a total value of £5 3s 6d.

5 On or about November 26, 1931, at Evansdale they did by night break and enter the dwelling house of Barbara Fraser and steal thibe blankets, two cushions, one table cover and one quilt of a total value of £4 6s. On or about June 10, 1931, at Ross Point, they did by night break and enter the dwelling house of George Arnold Evans and steal one electric heater, one lady’s rain coat, one table cloth, sijc tins of preserved fruit of a total'value of £3 3s Cd.

On or about November 29, 1931, at Merton, they did by night break and enter the dwelling house of Alexander Harris and steal one folding chair, one eiderdown cover, and one piece of shadow tissue of a total value of 18s 6d. EVIDENCE BY HOUSEHOLDERS. Ronald Geoffrey M'Millan Reid said that on April 10, 1928, he had left his mother’s seaside residence at Karitane securely locked. , As a result of information received he visited the house early in the following month, and found that a quantity of goods had been stolen, but there was no sign of the house having been bretea into. The total value of

the goods stolen was £47 5s 6d. On January 14, 1932, at the detective office he identified the property stolen. The value of the goods recovered by the police was £ll 10s 6d. Sinclair Calder Sutherland said that he visited his crib at Karitane on July 3, 1928, and found that it had been broken into, a window having been broken and the back door left open. The value of property recovered he estimated at £ll 155.. Percy Wallace Curtis said that when he visited his seaside residence at Karitane on July 9, 1928, he found that an entry had been made and a considerable amount of 1 property stolen. He had left the place locked up, but found on his return that the back door was unlocked. The value of the articles recovered was £lO 18s. Albert Edward Richards said that ho had a seaside residence at Ross Point, Otago Peninsula. He left his residence there locked up, and on returning on June 22, 1931, found that the place had been entered, and -a quantity of goods stolen. The back door was unlocked. He estimated- the' value of the goods recovered at £ll. Detective Russell said that ou December 22, 1931, in company with Constables Hayward and Souter he saw the female accused at Evansdale. She was questioned with regard to breaking and entering seaside resorts around Dunedin. At first she denied the offences, blit subsequently admitted breaking and entering a number of places. He then brought the male accused from his work, and he admitted .being implicated with his wife. He took charge of a large quantity of stolen property the two accused had in their tent at Evansdale. Witness had recovered stolen property with reference to the 22 charges, and the two accused had made statements to him admitting the offences. The total value of the goods mentioned in those charges was £215 11s 7d, and the value of the property recovered was £lO9. While the two accused had been on bail they had given the police every assistance, and had brought stolen goods into the detective office every day, and of their own frqe will. ‘,