BREAKING AND ENTERING

Southland Times, Issue 25641, 7 April 1945, Page 7

BREAKING AND ENTERING

FACTORY EMPLOYEE ADMITS CHARGES (P.A.) DUNEDIN, April 6. Two charges of breaking and entering houses in Dunedin and stealing money and goods •were admitted in the Magistrate’s Court today by Robert Herbert Martinsen, aged 25, a factory employee of Auckland. The accused, who is totally deaf and almost mute; was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence by Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M. Detective J. A. Marshall said that on March 26 he went to a house at 23 Smith street and interviewed Martinsen about a burglary in Brown street, which he denied. His room was searched, as was the accused, and in his possession was found a fountain pen, a cigarette case and £lO/18/9. After being identified the accused was taken to the watch-house, from where he escaped while the witness was writing out the charge sheet in order to show it to him. This course was being taken owing to the accused being deaf and almost dumb. He was later arrested at Oamaru, to where he had travelled in the truck of a goods train. On March 28 Martinsen made a statement admitting his crime.