KINK FOR PLANTS

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 994, 10 June 1930, Page 16

KINK FOR PLANTS

THREE YEARS’ INTERVAL BETWEEN THEFTS LURE OF POPPIES A hard-working man with a good position but a sufferer from thieving proclivities which were apparent at three-yearly intervals, was how the police described Harold James Lawson, who was fined £5 at the Police Court this morning for stealing two boxes of Iceland poppies. Lawson, aged 28, was charged with stealing two boxes of plants valued at 9s, belonging to John Harold Pennington, at Avondale, on June 8. Mr. Moody entered a plea of guilty. Chief-Detective Hammond said both complainant and accused lived at Avondale but in different streets. Yesterday mornjng complainant had got up to plant Iceland popies but he found they had disappeared. He saw them later in accused’s garden. Unfortunately Lawson had previous convictions for theft. He seemed to have a kink for getting plants. He was a man with a good position and a hard worker. According to Mr. Moody, accused was a married man with two young children. He was a decent fellow but seemed to break out every three years. It was a stupid thing to take the plants but it might have been the result of a fancied grievance. They were taken openly at seven in the morning. Default of the fine was fixed at 14 days’ imprisonment, and accused was ordered to make restitution of 9s.