RAID ON GARDEN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22064, 21 September 1933, Page 15

RAID ON GARDEN

VALUABLE BULBS STOLEN PATIENCE OP POLICE REWARDED (Per United Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, September 20. Charged with the theft on December 6, 1931, of £lO worth of hyacinth bulbs, Frederick William Cromwell Short appeared in the Magistrate’s Court. The chief detective said that in 1931 Mr E. Wiltshire’s garden, Avonside drive, was raided, and a quantity of choice hyacinth bulbs was stolen. At the time suspicion rested on Short, but it was decided to play a waiting game. It was thought that if inquiries wore made at once Short would have an opportunity to destroy the bulbs. Recently a detective visited Short’s residence and there found half of the bulbs blooming in his garden. Further investigations led to the discovery of the remaining bulbs blooming on the grave of his late wife. Short said he had got them from a hawker, but later admitted the theft. The accused, who is 64 years of age, was fined £2 and costs, and an order was made for the return of the bulbs.