RECENT HOUSEBREAKING CASES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2921, 9 March 1910, Page 33

RECENT HOUSEBREAKING CASES.

THE MYSTERY SOLVED

ARRESTS MADE AND JEWELLERY

FOUND

The mystery surrounding a series of daylight robberies which have been going on since January last and have generally occurred in the quieter residential parts of the city was probably solved on Friday,- when Detectives Ward and Liiley effected a smart capture and arrested two young men named Anderson and Lawson. Detective Ward, who had had certain suspicions for some time past, made careful and lengthy inquiries respecting these men. As a result he and Detective Liiley placed themselves in a room in a board-ing-house in Moray place rented by one of the suspects, and when that individual returned at 7 o'clock last evening they arrested him. They then arrested the second man, who had a room in Melville street, and, leaving their prisoners eafe, made a thorough search. Concealed under a fife-grate in one room, and hidden carefully away in the cushions of an armchair

in the other room, they discovered a portion of the proceeds of no less than 10 cases of house-breaking, the articles found including jewellery to the value of about £2OO. One of the men is believed to be known to the police; nothing at present appears to be on record aboat the other. Although at first inclined to deny any knowledge of the crimes (house-breaking and theft) with which they were charged, the men could not do otherwise than acknowledge themselves fairly caught when their "plants" were discovered.

The pair have evidently been carrying on a series of carefully-planned and ! systematic robberies during the past two | months, and it is not unlikely that the : two may be connected with certain '%udacious house-breaking cases which have j puzzled the police in other parts of New ' Zealand.

ACCUSED BEFORE THE COURT. Two youths named Anthony Herbert Anderson and Reginald Lawson were brought before Mr H. Y. Widdowson, S.M.. on Saturday morning on a charge that between December 27 and January 1 they did break and enter the dwelling of Margaret M'Keown, at Mornington, and steal a bottle of smelling salts, valued at £l, and other articles of. jewellery and of the toilet table of a total value of £7 14s. Chief Detective Herbert said that some of the property had been found and traced to the accuseds' possession. In addition, a lot of other goods had been stolen in similar circumstances, which would result in like charges, to the number of 10 or 11. For the purpose of inquiry, and to prepare the cases, he would ask for a remand for eight days. Some of the goods were pawned, and he would like to say that if some- of the pawnbrokers had acted as ordinary citizens were supposed to act, some of the charges would never have been preferred, because the accused would have been arrested before their commission.

Mr Widdowepn: I should have thought that a recent complaint against a pawnbroker would have been enough. Detective Herbert: Some of them seem to think that their licenses are granted for their own benefit alone, and not at all in the interests of the general public. The Chief Detective continued that, on the question of bail, which he understood Mr Macdonald (who represented accused) would raise, he might say that the accused were helping to recover some of the property. Mr D. D. Macdonald said that accused Anderson lived with his sister, and he would engage, if bail were allowed, that the boy reported himself to the police every morning. Mr Cumming (agent for the Patients and Prisoners' Aid Society) said that _ Anderson's sister, with whom Anderson lived, was a hieblv respected woman. Mr Widdowson said that if the boy alleged that he was under 16 it had better be proved whether he was, as it would then he a case to be heard before the Juvenile Court, so far as the younger was concerned.

Chief Detective Herbert said that the differences in the ages might suggest that the elder had led the younger, but as against that the younger had committed one offence by himself. Mr Widdowson: Which at the same time mav have been in collusion with the other. Both accused were remanded till Monday week. In Anderson's case bail was fixed, self in £ r >o and two sureties of £25, or one approved suretv of £SO, on the condition that he reports himself every day. Other charges pending against the accused are as follow:

Tha.t between December 28 and January 29 they did break and enter the dwelling of Robert Percy Ward, in Nevada, Roslyn, and steal an amethyst, «t o ne mounted in <rold. valued at -Ri. and ether jewellery of a tc>ol value of £23.

That on Januarv P* tb*v did break and pnter the hou=<* of W. -T. Morrell (rector of (;he Hiarh School) and steal a gold b**»<rle valued at £2 10s.

Tb»t on F"b>-uan- 23 t.hev did enter the | dormitorv of the Boys' Ris-h School and steal 10s in o nev; a . nost»l note for 15s. ■ ••» steirner ticket, between Wellington and • Lf+telton. jj.nd o-oods v a l ue d at £7. T hat between. Fehnwv 23 .and 24 thev ; /i:j Pn fn r the hou«« of p<»t.»r Dick, on the Toiyn BeH. ~nd st°al a ladv's srold watch valued at c;iß. a chain «aluM at £S. and articles, of a total value of £32 7s 6d. That they did enter Edward Withers's

house, in London street, and steal jewellery valued at £4; and the house of James Ncwburgh Lawson, in St. David street, between February 7 and March 1, and take jewellery valued at £4. That they did similarly enter the housa of Alexander Burns, in Union street, between March 1 and March 2. and steal a watch valued ai £l2. and other articles of a total value of £lB 10s. That on March 3 they did enter the house of George Joseph Williamson, in Dundias street, and steal jewellery valued at £45 12s 6d.

That between February 26 and March 4 they did enter the house of Arthur Gifford Williams, in Dundas street, and steal jewellery valued at £lB. Lastly, they will be charged with having burglariously entered the house of Charles Alfred Thomson. Nothing was taken from there, however.