CROYDON GOLD THEFT

Taranaki Daily News, 4 June 1935, Page 13

CROYDON GOLD THEFT

THE AERODROME ROBBERY SEVEN YEARS FOR THIEF. CECIL SWANLAND’S TRIAL. Sentence of seven years’ penal servitude was passed at Croydon Quarter Sessions upon Cecil Swanland, aged 47, no fixed abode, for stealing gold bars and sovereigns, valued at over £20,000, from the bullion-roOm at Croydon Aerodrome on March 5, says the Daily Telegraph. Two other men who were charged with him were, during the trial, found not guilty and discharged. It was alleged that the boxes containing the gold were removed from the strongroom at the aerodrome « about 5 a.m., while the only occupant of the premises was away for forty-five minutes receiving a German air liner. The boxes were driven away in a taxi-cab. Seals from them were, found in Swanland’s rooms at Harringay. .

The jury were absent seventeen minutes in returning their verdict of guilty on all counts. Division Detective-Inspector Widdocks said that Swanlahd’s previous convictions included: — 1909: Five year’s penal Servitude for forgery. 1912: Six years for forgery and stealing letters. 1919: Three years for stealing a wallet. 1922: Three years for theft of jewellery worth about £4OOO. 1926: Four years for stealing clothing, PROSECUTED BY FATHER. Swanland, said tire officer, had. described himself as an artist, engineer, financier, and variety artist. When he was first sentenced in 1907, he was prosecuted by his father, by whom he was then employed. Released in June, 1908, he was arrested in the following December for being concerned in stealing letters from letter-boxes by means of a piece of string attached to a paper bag covered with bird-lime. One of the letters stolen contained a banker’s cheque. A new cheque-book was obtained, ana £6BO by means of a forged cheque. His arrest was being sought a month after his release on license in 1912 for stealing letters and extracting cheques. While he was staying at a well-known hotel he sent the commissionaire to a bank With a forged cheque for £1750. Asked if he had anything to say, Swanland replied “Nothing.”.. He received the sentence, with a smile, and his young wife was permitted to see him in the cells. While the jury were considering their verdict the Recorder, Mr. R. F. Colam, K.C., referred to the identification of Mazzarda, one of the discharged men. “I said that, in my opinion, it was a farce to put a man up to be identified when he was perfectly well known to a witness, as in this case, for twentyone years,” said the Recorder. “If I accused my brother of a crime, it is a perfect farce to be asked to identify him. I cannot conceive why it was done in this case, unless ' it was that it was an attempt to make evidence against a man. “It is a most important thing. The police should always remember that a statement made in the presence of a prisoner is valueless, unless the circumstances are such that you can say he was a perfectly free agent, and that it was reasonable ’he should make an answer. STRAINING A POINT. “I deprecate any attempt to create evidence. It always makes me feel that it is straining a point. The fact that a man says nothing is something from which there is no inference to be drawn a* all.” In his summing up, Mr. Colan reminded the jury that it had been suggested that if Swanland were guilty he would have got rid of the Various articles found in the house. “It is most extraordinary in the history of crime,’’ he added, “that, even with the Cleverest criminal in the most elaborate and cleverly designed crime, some stupid little thing is overlooked.” Swanland, in the witness-box, said he was married last autumn, his wife being twenty-one. On the morning of the alleged theft he went out early and walked round the park. There was a cab standing at the Manor Gate entrance. With it was a man he knew as “Harry.”

‘‘He told me,” continued Swanland, “that they had been out at a club ‘binge.’ He wanted a drink, and I said I could give him one at my place. Against the seat on the cab, and partly covered by a raincoat, were three boxes. They were sticking out with nails and were open. The lids were in pieces and were sticking out at the top. I asked him what they were. Harry said ‘Some of the mob put them in and said “There’s your luggage.” ’ ” Swanland said he asked for the boxes. He took two of them into his house and Harry took in the other. Mr. Eastwood (for Swanland): If you had wanted to get rid of this stuff had you six hours In which to do it?—Evidently. Did you break in or in any way take this gold from Croydon Aerodrome?— No. Did you ever see any gold?—No. When you saw these boxes were they empty?—They were. When you got these boxes, had you any idea they were stolen?—None whatever. A CLOTHES ORDER. Mr. Brooks, prosecuting, questioned Swanland about his work as a black and white artist. /Swanland said that he got his last payment for work about a month ago. It was few shillings. He had earned £2 or £3 a week at timesj but lately had been earning very little. Mr. Brooks: On the day of the robbery <id you receive any payment for work or on the day after?—No. Then why did you go on the afternoon after the robbery and order £59 worth of clothes from a firm in Soho Square?—Those clothes had been spoken about two months before. Swanland said that on the afternoon after the robbery he went to a jeweller’s and exchanged a pair of gold cuff links and paid £2 besides. Mr. Brooks: Where did you get the money from?—l earned it. I was working for bookmakers on commission and I also worked for my mother-in-law. Mrs. Swanland, tl.e young wife of the accused, was dressed in a grey costume with a black hat, and her answers to questions were almost inaudible. Mrs.- Swanland then described the visit of police officers to the house. “Insfector Widdocks asked me where my husband was the previous night,” said Mrs. Swanland. “I said ‘With me.’ Mr. Widdocks said ‘You are as big a liar as your husband.’ They said they were looking for gold. I said they would not find any there. He said I knew as much about it as my husband, and that they had a good mind to take me along with them. I said I was*willing. Mr. Widdocks said 1 was not married to this man. I said T was and produced my marriage certificate.” Inspector Widdocks denied the allegations.