MOTOR-CAR THEFTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3775, 20 July 1926, Page 23

MOTOR-CAR THEFTS.

JOYRIDERS APPREHENDED SEVERE SENTENCE IMPOSED. HAMILTON, July 16. The epidemic of motor car conversion in Hamilton which extended over a period of nearly five months, and took consider able police investigation to detect, resulted in two young men named Peter Gillies Hanson and Wilfred Edwin Dobson appearing in the Hamilton Court today when they were charged conjointly with converting 13 care to their own use. and with the theft of the benzine used in the cart which they took. Hanson alone was charged with converting three oars to his. own use, and the theft of a tin of bensine from a car standing on the roadside at Morrinsville. The cars which were mostly Dodges, had been used chiefly for journeys to Mor rinsville where, apparently the defendants met two young ladies. The cars were, as a rule, abandoned in Hamilton. The accused pleaded guilty Tbe Magistrate (Mr Wyvern Wilson) said that undoubtedly Hanson appeared to have been the ringleader The acts were not committed on the spur of the moment, but were deliberate, and extended over a period of several months. Hanson would be sen tenoed to one month’s imprisonment on one charge. On the others his Worship said he would deal with him as he proposed to deal with Dobson. He would place them both on probation for two years one con dition being that they did not drive cars during that period, and another that they should each pay within two months £l3 12s 3d, their there of the damage done to the cars, and tho cost of the benaine stolen, and the prosecution. They would also be required to lodge a bond of £IOO each as a guarantee that the terms of probation would be carried out.