YOUNG GANG IN COURT

Southland Times, Issue 24986, 24 February 1943, Page 6

YOUNG GANG IN COURT

PETROLAND KEROSENE SIPHONED

Wholesale thefts of petrol and kerosene, systematically carried out. by a gang of youths and young men in and around Invercargill, were uncovered by the police in a series of charges heard by the Magistrate (Mr R. C. Abernethy) yesterday. The charges concerned six youths and young men whose ages ranged from 164- to 23. In each case, it was disclosed by Detec-tive-Sergeant J. W. Hill, who prosecuted, the petrol or kerosene was siphoned from the supplies robbed. About 12 gallons of petrol were stolen from one of the trucks of the Butchers’ By-Products Company, at West Plains; five gallons of kerosene were stolen at Dacre; 12 gallons of petrol were stolen at Thornbury and a further two gallons were stolen at Thornbury. CHARGES ADMITTED

Five members of the gang appeared in the Magistrate’s Court and the sixth, a youth of 16j years, appeared before the Magistrate in the Children’s Court. All pleaded guilty to the charges against them. They were:— James Harold Counsell, a freezing works employee, three charges. He was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment on the charge of theft of kerosene at Dacre; to three months’ imprisonment (to be served cumulatively on the other sentence) for theft of petrol at West Plains, and he was convicted and discharged on the third charge. Cedric Arthur Wills (17 years and 9 months), two charges. He was ordered to be detained in the Borstal Institution for 12 months on one charge, and he was convicted and discharged on the other. Harry Vincent Mack, an engineer, of Christchurch, one charge. He was ordered to come up for sentence if called upon within one year. Maurice Norham Counsell, freezing works employee, two charges. He was convicted and discharged. Ernest William McNaught, two charges. He was admitted to probation for 12 months. The boy who appeared in the Children’s Court on four charges of stealing petrol and kerosene and one of unlawful conversion of a car was committed to the care of the State and ordered to be sent to the Weraroa training farm. He was also ordered to make restitution of the value of the petrol stolen (£4/11).

VISIT TO THORNBURY Detective-Sergeant Hill told the Court that Mack had just arrived by train from Christchurch and he was invited to join the gang in a visit to Thornbury. Two gallons of petrol were syphoned that night. Mack took little part in the escapade. In answer to the Magistrate, Mack said he thought he was being taken for a drive; he did not know of the intentions of the others. Detective-Sergeant Hill emphasized the seriousness of the offences. He said that petrol was scarce and the offences had been hard to detect. CONVERSION OF CAR

Maurice Norham Counsell pleaded guilty, and another young man, whose

name was suppressed from publication, pleaded not guilty to unlawfully converting a car to their use. The car was taken from outside St. Mary’s dance hall and driven to a dance at Wallacetown, said DetectiveSergeant Hill. The second man saw Counsell at the dance and accepted an invitation to go home in a car.-with him and another person. The others told him they had taken the car off the street. He had driven the car- part of the way home. Both the accused were placed on probation for 12 months.