THEFT OF SUITCASE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3802, 25 January 1927, Page 16

THEFT OF SUITCASE.

TAKEN FROM TRAIN. ■ i INVERCARGILL, January 20. At the Invercargill Police Court' this morning, before Mr G. Uruickshank, S.M., John Baden-Powell Anderson, a man of 26 years of age, was charged with stealing a suitcase containing articles of clothing of tho total value of £25 8s 6d, the property of Struan Watson. The theft was commuted in Invercargill on November 27. A similar charge was preferred against Maurice O’Connor, a young man of 19 years of age. Both accused pleaded guilty. Detective Sergeant Carroll said that on November 27 the complainant travelled to Invercargill from Dunedin on the express. When he first boarded the train he put his case on the rack in the carriage, but seeing some friends on the train he went into their carriage and left his suitcase in the carriage he first boarded. He found on arrival in Invercargill that his suitcase was gone. The police were . informed and found the suitcase and from it traced the theft to Maurice O’Connor who, when interviewed, made a statement in which he admited the theft. Anderson .was later interviewed and also admitted his guilt. These ’two 'men had travelled in the carriage in which the suitcase was left and when the train reached Invercargill had taken it to Anderson’s home. Anderson took some of the clothes and wore them that night, and then gave the suitcase to O’Connor who also took some of the articles. He threw some of the articles into the Puni Creek and left the suitcase in the street where it was found. Much of the contents had been recovered, but articles to the value 'of £2 7s 6d were still missing. Anderson had a fairly long list of convictions against him. He had recently been discharged from gaol where ha - was serving 'three years’ reformative detention, and was on a probationary license when the theft' was committed. Anderson was sentenced to six months hard labour hi- Paparoa Gaol and O’Connor, who ,is at preesnt being detained for two years’ reformative treatment, was convicted and discharged.