THEFT OF TOOLS

Southland Times, Issue 19311, 1 August 1924, Page 8

THEFT OF TOOLS

COMMON IN WELLINGTON. “The theft of carpenters’ tools is quite a comomn thing in Wellington. We have recently received a complaint from the secretary of the union about the amount of thieving going on.” So said Chief-Detective Kemp in the Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, in reference to a carpenter, 29 years of age, Arthur George Hughes, who pleaded guilty to two charges of theft of carpenters’ tools to the value of £l4, and the theft of a bicycle and plumbers’ requisites to the value of £lO. “The theft of carpenters’ tools is a very difficult thing to detect,” added the chiefdetective. “A carpenter’s kit may contain tools to the value of £5O and as he requires them on his job, it is often difficult to secure them in a proper way, and the whole of the kit is at the mercy of the first thief who comes along.” “I have had a very disappointed life, and have given way to drink,” the accused explained. “It was while I was under the influence of drink that the thefts were committed.” The Magistrate, Mr E. Page, S.M., imposed a sentence of six months’ imprisonment on each of three charges, the terms to be concurrent.