THEFT OF BICYCLES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3912, 5 March 1929, Page 13

THEFT OF BICYCLES.

SIX MONTHS’ DETENTION. TIMARU, February 28. Gilbert Kendal Maurice Mayo, a wellknown watchmaker and jeweller in Timaru, appeared on remand at the Magistrate’s Court this morning on three charges of having stolen bicycles. The pleas for probation and for suppression of the name were refused by the magistrate, who ordered six months’ reformative detention in one case, while on the others the accused was ordered to come up for sentence if called upon within 12 months. »

Mayo was charged with that on or about January 14, at Timaru, he did steal a bicycle valued at £4, the property of Reginald Sellwood. He was further charged with that, in or about March, 1928, he did steal two bicycles valued at £5 and £6 respectively," the property of persons unknown. Mr J. Emslie represented the accused, entering a plea of guilty on each of the three charges. Senior Sergeant T. Gibson, for the police, said that the accused was a well known business man. He had been-sus pected of having stolen bicycles for some time, and, acting oh information received, the police had visited his house, under which they found parts of bicycles, some of which had been identified." Mr Emslie asked for leniency for the accused. The man himself did not know why he hajl stolen the bicycles. He had given way to temptation, and in view of the circumstances he asked for probation and for suppression of the accused's name. The accused was a good husband and father, and the publication of his name would injure his family. The magistrate said that, "in view of the probation officer’s report, probation was out of the question, and he would have to impose a sentence of reformative treatment. The circumstances did not warrant the suppression of the name. In such cases the name should certainly be published.