THEFT ALLEGED

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23323, 5 October 1945, Page 4

THEFT ALLEGED

246 Cases Of Whisky Accused Committed For Trial (N.Z.P.A.) WELLINGTON. Oct. 4. A police chase of a lorry laden with cases of whisky along the Hutt Road on the night of September 12 and the subsequent qrrest of the driver of the lorry had its" sequel in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday, when Dominic Fitzgerald, a taxi-drlyer, aged 30, was charged before Mr J. L. Stout, S.M., with breaking and entering the warehouse of T. and W. Young, Ltd. in Egmont Street and stealing 246 ca,ses of whisky valued at £2460. Fitzgerald was also charged with the conversion of a three-ton truck valued at £lOOO the property of T. and W. Young. Accused, who was represented by Mr B. C. Evans-Scott, pleaded not guilty, to both charges and was committed to the Supreme Court for trial. Detective-Sergeant Callaghan prosecuted.

Evidence was given that at 7.45 p.m. three or four men •. were seen outside the warehouse, and the truck was driven out and away.

The head storeman for Youngs said that he found at 8.45 p.m. that a lorry, 246 cases of whisky, and a quantity of tobacco and cigarettes were missing. Later the police brought the lorry back with all the names and advertisements painted out. Sergeant W. R. Fleming said that when he arrested the accused in the truck on Hutt Road, the accused said he did not know what was in the truck. He said he was driving it to Petone for a man he did not know. Detective A. W. Hedwig said the accused told him that a man he had met had offered to “give him a score” if he would pick up a truck at Cable Street and drive it to Petone. John Patrick Warren, carrier, said accused had asked him if he could store 100 cases of whisky. A day or two later accused had arrived at his (Warren’s) home with a loaded truck and told him he had the whisky for him—2so cases of it. He said it came from T. and W. Young, and witness would get his share for storing it. “I told him. I would not have it at any price,” said witness. There were some other men with accused, but they remained oqtside the gate, and he could not identify them.