CASES OF THEFT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26531, 5 August 1947, Page 2

CASES OF THEFT

CITY POLICE COURT CORPORATION EMPLOYEE’S LAPSE "The publicity will be a blow and a severe punishment in itself," said the probation officer, Mr E. F. Mosley, in the City Police Court yesterday, when recommending a term of probation for Vincent Maitai Horn, a clerk, who had pleaded puiltv to stealing sums of money totalling £l4 7s GJd, the property of the Dunedin City Corporation, on various dates between July 1, 1946, and June 13. 1947. Mr J. D. Willis, S.M., was on the Bench, and the accused was represented by Mr C j l White. Chief Detective Hall said that since June, 1946, the accused had been employed as a clerk in the revenue office of the City Corporation Transport Department. He had access to lost property found by the department’s officers on trams and buses These articles were placed in a strong room and checked every 12 months. If not claimed, the lost property was handed to the finders. When a check was being made, Mr Hall continued, money totalling £l4 7s 6td was found to be missing from a number of purses. On inquiries being made the accused had admitted the offences “ The accused gave no reason for his actions. He is. married, with two children? and is getting over £350 a year said the chief detective, who added mat the accused had made restitution of the money. He had been dismissed from his e T. P I l ° y i ? 1 a tragedy to see a young man from a well-known family before the court,” said Horn’s counsel. The accused had been employed by the corporationi for 13 months, and had been handlmg large sums of money. He was not trapped, but made a voluntary confession, Mr White said. “ Why he should have stooped to this folly is quite beyond anyone who Saying that the thefts had been committed by one holding a position of trust, and that the accused would not be given another chance if he came before the court again, the magistrate ordered him to be placed on probation for two years. The magistrate' refused counsels application for the suppression of the accused s name Two Years’ Probation The theft of two motor car wheels, four motor tyres, tubes and rims, valued at £42 10s, belonging to the Love Construction Company, Ltd., Dunedin was admitted by William James Rosie a labourer, aged 23. He was not represented by counsel. ~ ~ ... Chief Detective Hall said tha,t the accused was a married man employed by the Love Construction Co. Early in July he had been engaged on work at the newly-erected nurses’ home in castie street He noticed a wheel barrow fitted with pneumatic tyres. At 9 p.m. on July 11, the accused drove to the nurses home and removed two complete wheels and tyres from the barrow. These, with other tyres he hid in a vacant section in South Dunedin. On July 14. the chief detective continued, the accused disposed of some bf the stolen urooerty for £l7 He later admitted the offence in the detecliye offifce saying that he had found some difficulty 'in getting tyres. The property had been recovered. “ The accused, who is a young married man of 23 years, is regarded as a particularly good workman,” Mr Hall said. ” Normally. I would not hesitate to impose a term of imprisonment,” the magistrate stated "In view of his age and previous record, the accused will be placed no probation for two years. A special condition is that he makes restitution of £l7 tp William George Mathewson.” Unlicensed Wireless Colin Anderson Jolly was fined £1 and costs for having an unlicensed wireless.