CAUGHT IN THE ACT

Taranaki Daily News, 11 July 1933, Page 3

CAUGHT IN THE ACT

MANAKAU STORE ENTERED MEN’S ADMISSION OF GUILT. NORTH TARANAKI STOREKEEPER. Levin, July T. As the outcome of the burglary at Mr. A. O. Powell’s store at Manakau on June 30, the three arrested, men, Samuel Jamieson McKee, George William Attewell and Joseph Trevor Dunn, appeared at the Levin Court this morning, before Messrs. P. W. Goldsmith and E. S. Lancaster, J.’sP., on a charge of breaking and entering the store with intent to commit theft. They pleaded guilty, and were committed to the Supreme Court. On a charge of converting a car to their own use at Wellington on June 29, the three accused were remanded to appear at Wellington on Wednesday next. Mr. Powell (who for many years kept a store at Egmont Village, North Taranaki, and was a prominent figure in the Country cricket competition) stated that he went to his shop at about 2 a.m. on June 30, going direct to the back door of the shop. The door was closed, but it showed signs of having had a number of holes bored in it and that entrance had been effected. He opened the back door and on looking into the lobby, by the aid of an electric torch, he saw the three accused attempting to force the inner door.

He told them to stay as they were, and by the time they had got over their surprise, Willis, his employee, arrived with a gun. The police were communicated with, and the accused were kept covered until Constable Bagrie arrived, when they were handed over to him. While waiting for the arrival of the police, witness heard one of the men say something about pleading guilty to the two offences, “and it would mean about six months.”

Leslie James Willis, a shop assistant who was sleeping on the premises, said that at about 2 a.m. he was awakened by a banging noise. He rose, and rang Mr. Powell. Then he took the gun from behind the office door, also a packet of cartridges from the shop. He waited by the back of the front door until he heard Mr. Powell come down the alley-way. Witness then went round to the back of the shop and, with the assistance of Mr. Anderson, kept the men covered till the police arrived. METHOD OF ENTRY. Constable Bagrie stated that an entrance had been obtained by boring a number of holes into the back door and removing two boards from the bottom of the door. The constable found a brace and bit at the back door. Detective H. Russell, of Palmerston North, produced statements made by the three accused. McKee in his statement said that he and Dunn and 1 -Atte well on June 29 took a car from Majoribanks Street, Wellington, and decided to. “see if they could get some money somewhere.” They all got in the car and took turns at driving. They went along the Main 'North Road from Wellington, looking for a lock-up store, and, seeing that the ope in Manakau was the first, they thought they would “give it a try. They had just got into it, when they were bailed up by the owner. McKee added that this was the first time he had ever broken into a place. The landlady had been pushing them for their rent and they had been “right up against things” and had not known where, to get any money. Similar statements were made by Attewell and Dunn.