STOLEN BICYCLES.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VI, Issue 1641, 19 May 1919, Page 11

STOLEN BICYCLES.

A SERIES OF THEFTS. YOUTH BEFORE THE COURT. Last Monday, Wilford Muir Ward, 17 years of age, was charged at the Magistrate's Court that on or about April 26, 1919, at Christchurch, he stole a bicycle valued at £lO 10/-, the property of J. J. Dougall. On that day a remand was granted beeause the police wished to make inquiries regarding other bicycles that the accused had admitted stealing. This morning, before Mr S. E. McCarthy, S.M., Ward was ; charged with stealing six other bicycles. These included one belonging to Harold Parnwell Smith, valued at £3, one belonging to Pereival Frederick Saunders, valued at £3, one belonging to Albert Bartlett, valued at £4, and three belonging to persons unknown, valued at £3 10/-, £3 and 17/6 respectively. Accused pleaded guilty to all charges. All the thefts took place towards the end of April and in the beginning of May.

Sub-Inspector Mullany said that accused had sold the bicycles, and two of them had not yet been recovered. He had freely admitted the thefts and assisted the police in every way to trace the machines. Ward had sold some of the bicycles for such a small sum that the persons who bought them must have known they were stolen. In one ease a secondhand dealer had bought a good bicycle from the accused for 13/-; Prosecution would probably follow against tTiese people.

A brother of the accused said they had always found him a good boy. He had had some good positions and had never been short of money. He had apparently got in with bad companions. Mr Dougall, who owned one of the stolen bicycles, said his machine had been damaged, although he could not say to jehat extent. Ward was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon. He was placed on probation for a term of two years, and was ordered to report once a to the probation ofSeer. Another condition of the probation was that accused should attend night classes at the Technical College. The Magistrate ordered that accused should deposit a sum of £3O to cover any damage that might have been done to the bicycles, and the price of any bicycles not recovered.