EX-POLICEMEN CHARGED

Taranaki Daily News, 30 January 1930, Page 13

EX-POLICEMEN CHARGED

EXTENSIVE THEFT ALLEGED. STATEMENTS READ IN COURT. MANY EXHIBITS OF DRAPERY. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. Dressing gowns, hats, ties, shirts, overcoats, pyjamas, collars, cardigans, underwear, gloves, rugs, raincoats and numerous other articles of clothing took a prominent position in the Magistrate’s Court to-day as exhibits which are alleged to have been stolen from the premises of C. Smith, Ltd., by Joseph Maurice White, Wilfred Leonard Ramm and Hugh Robertson Stevenson. White is described as an artist aged 28. Stevenson, aged 27, was up till the day of his arrest a constable in the Police Force, and Ramm, aged 28, is an ex-constable, having left the force a few weeks prior to his arrest. The three accused are charged jointly with breaking and entering the premises of C. Smith, Ltd., between June 25, 1929, and December 17, 1929, and stealing clothing of a total value of £166 18s Bd. White is separately charged with breaking and entering by night the premises of C. Smith, Ltd;, on December 17 with intent to commit a erime, and with being found at 1 a.m. on December 17 in jiossession of house-breaking implements —a skeleton key and an electric torch.. Stevenson is further charged with receiving from White and Ramm clothing to the value of £l7 ss, knowing it to have been dishonestly obtained.

In evidence it was stated that White was arrested by a nightwatchman who found him inside the premises of C. Smith, which White had entered with the aid of a skeleton key. Detectives interviewed Stevenson, ’ who made a statement that he had received several articles from Ramm. When Ramm was interviewed by detectives he said, according to the evidence of the detectives, that he had some stolen stuff, all of which he would hand over.

Ramm was then taken to the detective office, where he made a statement in which he said he met White about four years ago. One night about seven months ago White mentioned that he could get into C. Smith, Ltd.’s, and White suggested they should go into the place while the accused was on night duty. “I fell in with the suggestion,” continued Ramm in his statement, “and White went into the shop while I kept guard outside, although I sometimes went into the shop also, This happened on six occasions in a fortnight while I was on night duty and happened about ten times altogether.”

Ail the goods, the statement continued, were taken to White’s flat and the accused met him there. Stevenson was the watchhouse keeper at the Taranaki St. station at the time and he was “in the know.” Stevenson secured, roughly about what the accused did out of the robberies. Stevenson used to go to White’s place in the day time and bring some of the goods back to the station, where the accused would get his share. Each of the accused pleaded not guilty and reserved his defence. They were each committed to the Supreme Court for trial. Bail was refused.