STOLEN BICYCLES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3868, 1 May 1928, Page 71

STOLEN BICYCLES.

CHRISTCHURCH, April 25. Charles Arthur Kirk, a clerk, aged 28. was charged at the Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday with the theft of 14 bicycles during the months of July and August,

1926. The total value of the bicycles ■was said to be £59 17s 6d, and it was alleged that the accused had victimised many cycle dealers in the city with tho stolen machines. Nine of the charges were indictable and five were summary. Chief Detective Carroll said that in every case except one the bicycles which had been stolen had been taken to cycle shops. The man who took the cycle into the shop would say that he had lost his wallet or had changed his clothes, and had gone into town without money. Then he would raise a loan from the cycle dealer, who, of course, had the cyclo as security. He would borrow from a few shillings up to £l, and would not return. The police had been looking for this financier for 18 months. Kirk denied that he was the man. About 13 cycle dealers had been asked to identify the man who had dealt with them. Three had identified Kirk positively, and six others said that he was like tho man.

The accused pleaded not guilty to all the charges, and was committed to the Supreme Court for trial on the indictable charges, tho Magistrate reserving his decision on the summary charges till after the Supreme Court trial.