THEFT OF ALLIGATORS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23730, 10 February 1939, Page 6

THEFT OF ALLIGATORS

LEFT TO DIE - , FORMER ZOO EMPLOYEES (From Qur Own Correspondent) (By Air Mail) LONDON. Jgn. 9. Two men who formerly were employed at Belle Vue Zoological Gardens —James Whitworth, aged 19, of Dickenson road. Rusholme. and George W. Ford, aged 22. of Elm Tree road, Bredbury—pleaded guilty at Manchester to stealing from the zoo two live alligators, valued at £4 10s. and two glass fish pans, valued at £1 12s 6d. Inspector Yarwood said that, in a statement. Whitworth said that he and Ford went to Belle Vue and climbed the gate. He opened the cage with a penknife, and Ford got a piece -of cloth. “When I went in, one of the crocodiles came from the pond and went through my legs out of the door,” continued the statement. After wrapping the reptiles in cloth, they took them to a house and let them walk about the floor. Later they carried them to Whitworth’s house, and. after putting them in the bath, placed them in a cupboard. When they saw the report in the newspapers that the alligators had been stolen. Whitworth wanted to take them to the zoo head keeper’s front door, leave them on the front step, knock, and run away. •/ Finally, the men dropped the alligators over some railings. Later, Whitworth went to recover them to put them in hot water, but found there were men wbrking at the spot. The inspector added that he went with Whitworth to a place where a sack containing the alligators, which were dead, was lying in the snow. Whitworth told the magistrates: * I was interested in the alligators, and wanted to keep them in my room as pets.” , . An official of Belle Vue stated that Whitworth had a “great passion’’-for keeping reptiles, and had kept an alligator at his home. Ford was also interested in animals. Addressing the defendants, the chairman (Mr W, Somerville) said' “We look upon it as an act of foolishness on your part. You have given rather cruel treatment to these poor reptiles. No doubt you will feel sorry for that yourselves.” The defendants were placed on probation for 12 months, and were ordered to pay the value of the alligators to the zoo during that period.