THREE ARRESTS MADE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17108, 14 November 1929, Page 6

THREE ARRESTS MADE

SEQUEL TO BURGLARIES SEVERAL CHARGES ADMITTED Developments which occurred yesterday ted to the scotching ot the burglar scare Uiat bus caused uneasiness during the jfist forifeiighl among Gisborne householders. Early in tile evening two young men were Drought into the police station and charged with breaking and entering, and a third was arrested and finally charged with receiving part of the loot of a burglary from ins mends. The arrests wound up an intensive search by the police lor clues leading to the identity of the criminals, and followed upon a discovery by Constable Brady, of the Kaiti station. The range of the articles stolen by the yputlis was remarkable, and it is evident that a misdirected spirit of adventure entered largely into their operations, since lew, of the articles appropriated could have been disposed of without incriminating the sellers.

Une of the most serious features of the operations of the burglars was the' raid tney made upon the Garrison Hall, whence they stole three Webley service revolvers and a quantity of ammunition. When the revolvers were recovered, it was found that they had been used, and the youths admit that they indulged in target practice with the weapons, which have a considerable range and might easily have been responsible for serious injury to persons anywhere in the vicinity. Moreover, the possession of firearms by young men so obviously fired by the adventurous spirit might easily have led to an impusive act with most serious consequences.

Apparently the burglars decided to make llieir presence felt as much as possible during the limited period «n which their identity might remain unknown. They converted motor-cars to their own use on several occasions, and ranged the countryside in the borrowed vehicles. They visited various suburban residences, and apparently without much thought for the value,of the articles they fancied, removed trinkets and ornaments, gramophone records, dressing-table fixtures and tools, in addition to some cash, the actual amount of which is as yet undetermined. The admissions of the accused to the police have cleared up all burglaries reported within the past fortnight, with one exception, this being the case of breaking and entering Mr. Basil Hacche’s residence in Roebuck road, whence a sum of £2l was removed on Sunday wee*. Tfhe youths deny any knowledge of this theft. PLACES ■ ENTERED V A list of the places entered and articles removed, compiled so far by the police by the help of the admiss.o..o gained, is as under:— Gariisou Hall, Fitzlierbert street: Thiee Webley, service revolvers, SUU» rounds of ammunition, armorers’ tools, pocket compass and scales. Mr. F. Collins’ residence, Kaiti Esplanade : Two watches, three rings, gramophone records, a suitcase, and £2 6s in money, of a total value of £4O or £SO. Mr. R. Mitchell’s residence, Ilurahura road : Two watches and articles of jewellery, and .a small sum of money, of a total value of about £6O. Mr. J. E. Sheen’s residence, Iranui road : Miscellaneous articles and about £S in cash. Mr. P. McKeand’s resident, Wainui road: Portions of a telephone. * Maori meeting-house, Kaiti ; A kit, of tools. \

The youths also admit having entered Mr: J. M. Callaghan’s residence in Rutene road, but state that they took nothing. Under examination at the police station they gave the police assistance after a period of hesitation, \ and indicated where the stolen articles could be recovered. Their cache was situated on Kaiti Hill, some distance from the flagpole there, the articles being hidden among some flax bushes. Practically everything taken by the youths, with the exception of the cash, was recovered. Among the possessions of the burglars were bunches' of keys numbering nearly 100 in all, and including switchkeys for various makes of motorcars. These and the other articles recovered by the police made an interesting exhibition'at the station, where the owners of houses burgled during the past fortnight were invited to identify their possessions. A portion of the senior-sergeant’s office floor was covered with loot, the miscellaneous variety of which bore testimony to .the carelessness of the youths in selecting it. Such items as a scent-spray, coins and medals, a cuckoo whistle, an ornament presumably from an old-fashioned clock, were among the litter, a large proportion of which could only have had a sentimental value to the owners. In strong contrast to this class of article, however, were the service revolvers and tools, a pair of binoculars, rings and other jewellery. The task of the police in sorting up the loot proved a difficult one, and was not completed this morning. A REMAND GRANTED This morning the three boys appeared before Mr. T. Corson, J.P., in the Police Court, and were remanded until next Thursday, their names being suppressed in the meantime. Two of the boys, both aged 17 years, were charged with breaking and entering Frederick Collin’s house on October 21 and stealing therefrom a quantity of goods to the value of £SO, and the third, aged IS, was charged with receiving from the first two a pair of field-glasses belonging to Herbert De Costa, knowing them to have been dishonestly obtained. ' fj Senior-Sergeant Wade, in applying 1 for a remand for seven days, explain- * ed that the boys had only been arrested last night. Mr, E, T. Brosnahan, appearing on behalf of the eldest of the three accused, applied for the suppression of the names in the meantime, pointing out that application would be made later for the boys to be dealt with in the Juvenile Court. The bench granted the. remand and counsel's application, and Mr. Brosnahan intimated that application for bail would be made later.