A BUSY BURGLAR

Otago Witness, Issue 3594, 30 January 1923, Page 24

A BUSY BURGLAR

COMMITTED FOR SENTENCE. Arthur Gavan was charged at the Police Court on I' riday with breaking and entering by day on November 4 the warehouse of the New Zealand Hardware Company and stealing therefrom eight watches, 15 pocket knives, 10 rules, four pairs of scissors, and one suitcase, of a total value of £l2; with breaking and entering by night on December 28 the dwelling-house of James William Smeaton and stealing one handbag, two fern feathers, four bottles of whisky, and a pocket wallet of a total value of £4 15s, with breaking and entering by day on December 28 the dwelling-house of John Malcolm and stealing 12s in money and some American coins, of a total value of 17s; with breaking and entering by day on December 28 the dwelling-house of Frederick Howell and stealing an electric torch and a Post Office money-box, of a total value of £1; with breaking and entering by day on January 4 the warehouse of John Edmond (Ltd.) and stealing 20 dozen watches, 14 razors, 17 packets of razorblades, 13 razor-hones, 63 pairs of scissors, four dozen pocket knives, one suitcase, and one kitbag, of a total value of £134; with breaking and entering by day on January 10 the warehouse of Briscoe and Co. (Ltd.) and stealing 117 watches, 15 razors, 75 packets of razor blades, and one suitcase, of a total value of £SO. Chief Detective Bishop appeared fpr tlio police. Ernest Arthur Triggs, a salesman employed by the New Zealand Hardware Company, said that the premises had been securely . locked on Saturday, November 4. On returning to work on the following Monday he had noticed that the premises had been broken into, and the goods (produced) were missing. Frederick Barsham Howell, piano ' importer, said thSt his father had left on holiday at Christmas-time. Witness had paid a visit to his father’s home on January 2, and had discovered that it had been broken into, and that a torch (produced) and money-box were missing. John Henry M'Clane Edmond, a member of the firm of John Edmond (Ltd.), said that while working in the office he had found two suitcases full of goods at the top of the stairs. On investigation he had found that some showcases had been broken, and the goods removed. John Reid Wilson, a salesman employed by Briscoe and Co. (Ltd.), said that he had visited the warehouse on January 12, and had found that it had been broken into and articles to the value of £SO removed. He identified the stolen property. Detective Beer said that he had arrested the accused on January 12, as the latter was trying to sell some Boyprcof watches at a second-hand shop. The accused had admitted that he had broken into Briscoe and Co.’s, and that the goods he was trying to sell had come from that establishment. Most of the stolen property lmd been recovered at the accused’s house. He had made a statement at the detective office covering all the charges. A handbag and a torch had been found in the bush at the back of Mr Smeaton’s house. The accused, who pleaded guilty, denied taking the two fern feathers from Mr Smeaton’s house, and the charge in respect of these articles was struck out. He was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.