Man Who Stole Two Cars Gets Five Months’ Gaol

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 75, 20 June 1927, Page 1

Man Who Stole Two Cars Gets Five Months’ Gaol

“OFFENCES TOO COMMON ” SA YS S.M. ONE motor chief will not trouble car-owners for some time at least, as he now resides where he will have no use for a car.

T> AYMONI) PATRICK LETTON, aged 35, evidently believes in enjoying life at other people’s expense, for while he was out on bail after being remanded on a charge of stealing Mr. H. P. Burrett’s Chandler car, worth £650, he “converted” Mr. Frederick Paul’s car, which was standing in Grafton Road, and after an exciting chase in the Domain he was caught by the owner and his friends. Chief-Detective Cummings told the story of the man’s escapades to Mr. W. R. McKean, S.M. On May 13 Mr. Burrett left his Chandler standing in Fort Street at 6 p.m. and on returning half an hour later could not find it. Next day the car was seen in Parnell with accused sitting in it. Questioned by a constable, Leton had the cool cheek to say that he had been rung up by the Newmarket police and asked to take charge of the car. One of the num-ber-plates was obliterated. On June 14, Mr. Paul’s motor was removed from Grafton Road and accused said he was under the influence of liquor and did not remember removing it. Leton had been before the court several times before.

“Motor thieving is on the increase, and it is hard to detect,” said Mr. Cummings. Mr. Singer, pleading guilty for Letton, said it was difficult to believe the young man committed the second theft unless ?ne were under the influx ence of liquor. “He desires me to state that he cannot drive a car,” added counsel. “The police do not suggeset that he took the car from Fort Street. Anything removed from it was not taken by accused, because he was not in the car until the day after it was removed from Fort Street.” “He can drive a car all right,” declared Mr. Cummings, “and he is a menace to the public—he has not got a licence.” “I don’t know whether lie can drive or not,” observed Mr. McKean, “but. I am quite satisfied he is a party to the offences. I agree with the chiefdetective that offences of this kind are extremely dangerous, and are too common. “On the first charge you will be sent to prison for tw r o months, and on the second you will be sentenced to three months, the terms to be cumulative.”