GUILTY OF ELEVEN THEFTS; YOUTH PUT ON PROBATION

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19269, 5 January 1931, Page 8

GUILTY OF ELEVEN THEFTS; YOUTH PUT ON PROBATION

Accomplice Who Received Goods Sentenced To Four Months’ Gaol.

BY ADOPTING the method of purloining goods when the shop assistants had their backs turned, Jack Hands, aged nineteen, of 79, Fitzherbert Avenue, Palmerston North, committed eleven thefts. He was caught at Ashburton and, on appearing before Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M., this morning, was put on probation for three 5-ears. Some of the stolen articles were received by Alfred Arthur Stanlev-, aged twenty-four, of Kaikoura, and he was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment w-ith hard labour. Both men pleaded guilty to breaking and entering a dwelling at Addington, where they removed draw-ers from a stand in a room in which a man was sleeping. On this charge they were committed for sentence.

Mr Hunter appeared for Hands and Mr M’Lachlan represented Stanley. Many Charges. The charges of theft against Hands were as follows, accused pleading guilty to them all: (1) On or about November 3. at t'hristchurcn, lie stole a torch valued at 7s 6d, the property of a person unknown; (2) on November 21 he stole a hat valued at 355, the property of a person unknown; (3) stole a hat and a pair of armlets valued at 12s 3d, the property of Undrill's. Ltd.; (4) stole a wallet and a leather tie ring valued at 12s t»d, the property of Suckling’s, Ltd.; (5) on November 21, stole two keys valued at 2s, the property of the New Zealand Government; (6) stole a paper fastener valued at 12s 6d, the property of a person unknown; (7) stole two diaries valued at Us, the property of the United Book Company; (S) stole a Kent’s wrist watch and a lady’s wrist, watch valued at £l4. the property of Watsons’, Ltd.; (9) stole a hat, box of handkerchiefs, and collar and tie of a value of £2 16s. the property of Albert Ernest Walker; (10) stole a wrist watch valued at £7 10s, the property of Stewart Dawson, Ltd.; (11) on December 12, at Blenheim, stole a scarf, shirt, three lies and a bathing costume valued at £2 7s, the property of James Hay and Sons, Ltd. The first charge against Stanley was; —That on or about November 21 and on various dates between November 21 and December 7 he received from Jack Hands a hat, tie, bathing costume, collar. a pair of armlets, a diary and a box of handkerchiefs, of a total value of £9 19s 6d, before then stolen, knowing that the goods had been dishonestly obtained. Joint Appearances. Both accused were jointly charged with breaking and entering the dwelling of George Tucker, at 82, Hazeldean Road, on November 16 and committing theft therein. They pleaded guilty and were _ committed to the Supreme Court at Napier for sentence. Both men were also charged with entering the dwelling of Harry Thomas Bradley at Napier on November 8 and committing a theft. They were remanded to appear at Napier in this case. Chief-Detective Carroll said that both accused belonged to the North Island and came south about two months ago, going as far as Kaikoura

before separating. Hands was arrested in Ashburton ten days ago when he was found stealing from a shop. All the charges against him were the result of what he told the police. Hands made a full confession of what he had done and many of the offences were not very important. Helped Himself. Hands’s method of operating appeared to be to go into a shop with a pretence of making a purchase. While being attended to he helped himself when the assistant’s back was turned. With regard to the theft of the keys, Hands saw a railway porter put the keys in a room and thought they were the keys of the lavatory. Hands considered that if he got the keys they would give him access to all ! the station lavatories in New Zealand *

so that he could rob the containers of their pennies. Stanley had admitted that he knew the goods were stolen when he received them. Some of the charges against Hands were committed in Blenheim, so he apparently took a trip up there. The accused went to Mr Tucker’s house and remained outside until the occupant was asleep. They then prised open a window and climbed through. Next they went to Tucker’s bedroom and removed drawers from a stand. They took them to some other part of the house and helped themselves. William Edward George Tucker said that he lived alone in Hazeldean Road. He was not disturbed during the night of November 16, but next morning he found that a window at the back had been torn off its hinges and the house had been ransacked. A drawer from a duchesse had been taken into a back room and various articles were missing from it. A Friendly Visit. He knew one accused very well and the other slightly, and two days later they visited his house and spent the evening with him. They had no auth ority whatever to take the goods. Mr Hunter said that Hands was nineteen years of age, the youngest of a family of twelve. His people lived in the North Island and were thoroughly respectable people. Hands became unemployed and began to hawk electric appliances. He fell into the hands of Stanley, who, counsel submitted, was his evil genius. Hands had stated that although he took the articles Stanley was in partnership—indeed, counsel understood that Stanley was the senior partner, taking the greater part of the proceeds of the theft at Tucker’s house. Hands’s mother was in indifferent health, and as the parents knew nothing of the happenings the shock might have a serious effect on her. The goods were practically all recovered, and if Hands had not confessed the police could not have brought the charges home. “Evil Genius” Allegation. Mr M’Lachlan said that he did not want to throw cold water on anything his friend had said. Hands might be a decent young man, but concerning the evil genius allegation the fact remained that when Stanley was working Hands went on stealing. Stanley had abandoned his life of crime and was working steadily on a farm at Kaikoura. In putting Hands on probation, Mr Mosley said that the young man would be given a chance, though any further appearances in Court would have serious consequences. An order would be made for the return of the goods to their owners.

Chief-Detective Carroll said that Stanley had served a previous term in gaol.