STOLE CAR FROM PARKING PLACE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19134, 29 July 1930, Page 2

STOLE CAR FROM PARKING PLACE.

BABY AUSTIN WAS A WRECK WHEN RECOVERED

William Albertus lan Stuck, a butcher, aged 32, was out of work. He thought that he would be able to obtain a job in Oamaru. A Baby Austin mc-tor-car, parked near the Y.M.C.A., seemed to him to present a cheap and convenient way of getting there, so he took the car without the formality of consulting its owner. To-day he pleaded guilty, before Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M., to a charge of having stolen the car. It was the property of Miss Elsie Maud Guy, and was valued by her at £IOO.

Sub-Inspectcr O'Hara said that the accused took the car on March 7. When it was recovered, it was a wreck, and was worth not more than £5. Elsie Maud Guy, the owner of the car, said that on March 7 she parked her car in Cambridge Terrace at 9.30 a.m. She went to get the car about 1 p.m. but found it gone. She valued the car at about £IOO. She did not see the car again till about July 20. The car was then very badly damaged and she considered that it was worth about

A constable from Oamaru gave evidence that in June last the accused was residing at Oamaru. Witness found the car at his address. The accused said that the car was his own property and added that he had had a smash at Kurow. On the following day. he said that he had borrowed the car from a friend in Christchurch. Witness took charge of the car and sent it to the police station at Christchurch. A statement made by the accused to the police was read by Acting-Detec-tive Halcrow. In this, the accused admitted taking the car, and said that he had pleaded guilty to a charge of unlawful conversion, but not guilty to a charge of theft.

The accused pleaded guilty and was committed to the Supreme Court for