SHOPLIFTING CASE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17410, 12 December 1924, Page 10

SHOPLIFTING CASE.

WOMEN AGAIN IN COURT. GUILTY TO THIRD COUNT. The three women who were recently | sentenced to a month’s imprisonment j aech on two charges of shoplifting, apIpeared again at the Magistrate's Court this afternoon, when they liad to answer the charge that on November j 28 they stole a lady’s dress valued at 12 7s 6d, the property of the New Zealand Farmers’ Co-operative Association, Ltd. The three accused were Vera Evelyn Helmling, 445. Gloucester Street; Isobel Nixon, alias Clara Nixon, 432, Cashel Street, and Emma Gay Lindsay, 13, Woodhouse Street. Linwood. The offence with which they were charged was committed on the same day as those for which they were sentenced to imprisonment. Mr Hunter appeared for the accused Helmling and Mr Twyneham appeared for the other two accused. All pleaded guilty. Cl net-Detective Gibson said that on November 28 a bag was found in a tram by a train conductor and it contained a sum of money and a silk dress. .It bore- the name of Mrs Nixon. As the result of the publicity in the previous case the tramway authorities communicated with the police and inquiries were made. Acting-Detective Thompson said that he interviewed Airs Nixon in gaol and she and the other two accused admitted being in the Farmers’ Co-op. on the day in question and committing the theft. Air Twyneham said that for women brought up in decent surroundings the lesson of one month's imprisonment was a bitter one and would have itseffect. They had got a good deal of publicity from one end of New Zealand to another and that would have a. deterrent effect. AJr Hunter said the same remarks applied to Airs Helmling. She had suffered a great deal, and she keenly felt the disgrace which she had brought iijxm herself and her husband. The present sentence would keep her in prison over Christmas and that was an additional punishment. The women were sentenced to nineteen days’ imprisonment concurrent with the sentence they arc now serv-