Daring Thefts of Copper Cable

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 87, 4 July 1927, Page 7

Daring Thefts of Copper Cable

P.W.D. MEN CHARGED £270 WORTH TAKEN "DECENT stock-taking at the Public Works Department’s store at Penrose revealed the fact that three drums of copper cable valued at £270 were missing. At the Police Court this morning Harry Ernest Meyer, aged 55, and Francis Augustus White, aged 44, admitted stealing the cable. William James Bryden, the District Storekeeper, said that the missing cable was a special line imported for use between Arapuni and Auckland. Each drum weighed a ton and cost the department £9O. White had been employed by the department for 12 years, and during the past two years had been storekeeper at Penrose. Meyer was a casual labourer. SELLING THE WIRE John L. Sullivan, said he had been approached by Meyer, who said that he had some copper cable to dispose of. Witness made inquiries ajid found that he could sell it for 32d a lb. Accompanied by Meyer, he went out with a carrier to the Public Works Department’s store at Penrose, and one drum of cable was taken away. Witness sold this for £37 6s Bd, receiving lb commission on the sale. Later on, two more drums were sold for £69 7s. White stated that both he and Meyer were hard up, and he attributed his downfall to drink. Both accused pleaded guilty and were committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.