BURGLARIES AT TEMUKA.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 18847, 9 April 1931, Page 8

BURGLARIES AT TEMUKA.

SEQUEL TO RECENT THEFTS. TWO MEN COMMITTED TO SUPREME COURT. The first chapter of the sequel to the arrest in Timaru on Good Friday of two men in connection with the recent Temuka burglaries was enacted in the Temuka Magistrate’s Court yesterday, when Leslie Pearce, aged 26, a bootmaker, of 40 Tennyson Street, Dunedin, and Leslie Richmond Henderson, aged 25, a motor trimmer, of 768 George Street, Dunedin, appeared to answer seven charges of breaking and entering and theft, as well as one of unlawfully converting a motor-car at Dunedin. Accused pleaded guilty to all counts, and were committed to the Supreme Court at Dunedin for sentence on the breaking and entering charges, and on the conversion charge were remanded to appear at Dunedin on Friday. Messrs F. C. May and G. Hancox, J.P.’s, were on the Bench, and Inspector A. S. Bird conducted the case for the police. Accused were not represented by counsel. The Charge^ In opening the case for the police, Inspector Bird said that all the offences at Temuka had been committed in the early hours of the morning of April 3. The charges laid against the men were: That on or about April 3, 1931, they did break and enter by night the shop of Thomas Edgar Shiels and did steal therefrom goods and money valued at £2/6/-; that they did break and enter the counting house of James Robert Hatton and did steal therefrom goods valued at 9d; that they did break and enter the shop of Henry Richard Woodham. and did steal therefrom goods valued at £4'4/4; that they did break and enter the shop of Edward Gordon Hancox and did steal therefrom four pairs of black shoes and three pairs of brown shoes valued at £7 13/-, and two tubes of shoe cleaner valued at 3/-; that they did break and enter the counting house of William John Benbow, and did steal therefrom the sum of 5/- in money; that they did break and enter the shop of William Trigance and did steal therefrom two blue suits valued at £5/15/-, two coat hangers valued at 2/-, one blue coat and vest valued at £5, two grey coats valued at £4/5/-, two pairs of grey trousers valued at £2/12/6, one hat valued at 25/-, of a total value of £3l/19/6; and that they did break and enter the shop of Leonard George Scrimshaw, with intent to commit a crime therein. Accused were further charged that on or about March 31, at Dunedin, they did unlawfully and without colour of right, but not so as to be guilty of theft within the meaning of the Crimes Act, 1908, convert to their own use a motorcar valued at £IOO, the property of James Dixon; and also that on April 3, at Temuka, they did break and enter by night the shop of Thomas Edgar Shiels and did steal therefrom the sum of 4/- in money. The last charge was withdrawn by request of the police. Shop Owners’ Statements. Thomas Edgar Shiels, ironmonger, of Wood Street, Temuka, stated that he left his shop at 8.15 p.m. on April 2, the side door being unlocked. In consequence of what he had been told, he visited the shop at 8.30 on April 3, when he found that the side door had been forced open and £l/10/- in money, a tobacco pouch and a torch of a total value of £2/6/- were missing. Witness identified the 4/- piece, torch and pouch produced as his property. When the prisoners were asked if they had any questions to ask the witness, Pearce, stated that they admitted taking the goods, but had only stolen the 4/- piece in money. James Robert Hatton, garage proprietor, of Wood Street, Temuka, stated that he left his garage at 11.30 p.m. on April 2, revisiting the premises at 9 a.m. two days later. When he left, the rear door was locked and fastened by a wooden bar. but when he returned the door was open and the bar had been smashed. One tube of patching cement and a car pump were missing. The goods produced were similar to the ones that were missing. Leonard George Scrimshaw, furniture dealer. King Street, Temuka, said that at 9.30 p.m. on April 2 he had closed his premises, leaving the back door locked. At 10 o’clock on the 7th he had again visited the shop to find the back door forced open and his papers disarranged. Nothing had been taken. Henry Richard Woodham, grocer, stated that at 11.10 p.m. on April 2 he left his shop securely fastened. When he returned at nine o’clock the next morning, he found that the window at the rear had been forced open and the stock had been interfered with. The articles produced in Court had been stolen from his shop. He valued the goods at £4/5/- approximately. Edward Gordon Hancox, bootmaker Temuka, told the Court that when he had left his shop at 10 p.m. on April 2 the doors and windows were securely locked. On the day following he found that the rear window had been forced open and seven pairs of shoes and some tubes of shoe polish were missing. The value of the goods, which he identified in Court was £7/16/-.. William John Joshua Benbow. billiard room proprietor, gave evidence that at 10.30 on April 2 he had securely locked his premises, but when he returned at 8.30 the following morning he found that the rear outside door had been broken open and the door leading from the public room to the office also had been forced. The sum of 5/- was missing. William Trigance, tailor and men’s outfitter, King Street, Temuka, said that he left his premises at 10 p.m. on April 2, when all doors and windows were securely locked. At 8 o’clock the next morning he found the rear door forced open and a quantity of clothing stolen. The clothing produced in Court was that stolen from his premises. The goods taken were valued at £3l. Police Evidence. Constable James Brazier stated that he arrested the accused at Timaru on April 3. He was present with Detective Studholme when both accused made a voluntary statement in connection with the seven burglaries at Temuka on the morning of April 3, to Constable Southworth. The two motor-car tyre levers produced in Court were found in the car used by the accused, and they admitted that these had been the implements used in gaining entry into the premises. When arrested, the two were waring new trousers, coats and shoes, which they admitted they had stolen from premises at Temuka. In company with Inspector Bird and Senior-Sergeant Mathieson witness searched the room of the accused at 18 Sarah Street, Timaru, and the quantity of goods produced in Court had been found there. Accused admitted taking these from premises in Temuka. Constable J. Southworth gave evidence that at about two o’clock on the afternoon of April 3. in company with Detective Studholme and Constable Brazier, he had interviewed the accused Pearce at Timaru, when a statement had been made by him.

Statement of Accused. In the statement, Pearce said that he was a bootmaker, residing at 40 Tennyson Street, Dunedin. At about 11.30 p.m. on April 2, in company with Leslie Henderson, he drove to Temuka in a motor car. Witness knew at this time that Henderson had stolen the car in Dunedin. They arrived at Temuka about midnight, Henderson driving the car which was left at a service station near the railway station. They climbed over the gate and forced the door of an ironmonger’s shop. All they got there was one 4/piece. They then broke into a service station next door, breaking the bar of the back door to get in. Nothing was obtained at this place. Next they broke into a furniture shop through the back door, but did not get anything. The next shop entered was a grocer’s, from which they took a quantity of chocolates, cigarettes, tobacco and a small attache case, as well as two tins of toilet powder. They ate a tin of pineapple. Following this they entered a shoe shop, forcing the window to get in. From here they stole seven pairs of shoes. Then they forced the door of the billiard room, but witness could not remember what was stolen here. After forcing the door of a tailor’s shop they took a quantity of men’s clothing, including one overeat, and coats, vests and trousers. In all witness had broken into seven places in Temuka and the property at present in the possession of the police was the proceeds of their burglaries. Henderson also signed this statement, adding that the amount stolen from the billiard room was 5/- in silver, which was in his property. This concluded the evidence of the police. The accused then pleaded guilty to all charges, and elected not to give evidence on their own behalf. Judgment was passed as given above. Police Appreciation. After the case, Inspector Bird stated to the reporters that he wished to publicly thank civilians who assisted the constable in locating the offenders.