ANNAT BURGLARY.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 521, 2 August 1932, Page 7

ANNAT BURGLARY.

Three Young Men Before the Court. TWO CASES DISMISSED. The police case against three young men, charged with breaking into the store of G. G. Sutherland at Annat on July 12 and stealing £BO worth of goods, was heard in the Magistrate’s Court this morning. The accused w^re: —Edward Joseph O’Loughlin, a labourer aged 25, Thomas Andrew O’Loughlin, a bricklayer aged 22. both residing in Norwood Street, and Thomas Eric Kidd, a coach trimmer, aged 25, of Hay Street, Bromley. The case against the two O’Loughlins was dismissed, but Kidd pleaded guilty and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. The O’Loughlins pleaded guilty to receiving stolen goods. Safe Taken. Chief-Detective J. Carroll said that the store at Annat was broken into on July 12 and goods to the value of £BO odd were stolen. A safe, weighing three hundredweight, was also removed, and there was evidence of a vehicle of some sort being used. No trace of the offenders could be found for some time. Admittance to the store was gained by boring round the lock of the door with a brace and bit and then cutting the lock out with a key-hole saw. Kidd was arrested in connection with other offences the next morning. Detectives visited O’Loughlin’s house and found Kidd with the two O’Loughlins. There was no evidence at that time against either of the O’Loughlins. On July 23 a bach occupied by the two O’Loughlins in Bowhill Road was visited and goods worth £SO from the Annat store were found there. The O’Loughlins refused to make any explanation. Evidence would be given that a taxi driver had been engaged and goods taken from the bach to somewhere near the New Brighton racecourse, and that later the goods were returned to the bach. A search was made by detectives and a hole in the sand, partly filled in, was located near the racecourse. In the hole the detectives found some cardboard from boxes and a key-hole saw, similar to the one which must have been used at the Annat store. Kidd’s Admission. Kidd, when interviewed, admitted that he had been concerned in the burglary but would not say who was with him. He must have had assistance to remove a 3cwt safe. A few hours after the offence the three accused were found together. Mr Sutherland, in evidence, said that the safe contained £ls in cash and two cheques to the total value of £lB 7s 2d. He identified the goods produced in Court as coming from his shop. The value of the goods recovered was £SO Is Id. The safe and contents were still missing. Witness knew Edward O’Loughlin while he was working at Annat.

Maurice William Ealam, a taxi-driver, said that on July 15, his cab was engaged by Edward O’Loughlin, a man witness now knew as O’Loughlin’s brother, and a third man witness did not know, and drove to North Beach, where witness was told there was a little Shifting job. They stopped at a road witness did not know, and some sacks and a handbag were loaded on the taxi. Witness was then told to drive past the New Brighton Racecourse and stop at a little house painted white. The men said they were shifting to there. The bags were thrown over the fence into the scrub, but the men did not go to the house. After that witness drove back to Christchurch. Witness subsequently found out that the “ white house ” referred to was a hall used by the Girl Guides.

Detectives Robert Thompson, J. M’Clung and Acting-Detective J. C. Edwards, gave evidence. In a statement to Detective M’Clung the O’Loughlins denied being at Annat on July 12 or 13. They said ‘they did not know where the goods found by the police came from. Kidd admitted taking a car from a garage at Riccarton, driving to Annat and breaking into the store. He would not disclose who else was involved in the offence. Pleas of Guilty. The O'Loughlin brothers pleaded guilty to four other charges, which were adjourned until after the Supreme Court session. The charges were: (1) On July 10, stealing petrol and oil, valued at £1 15s, the property of William Wilkins; (2) on July 23, receiving a quantity of jeweller)', valued at £24 16s 6d, the property of Frederick Alexander Lane, knowing it to have been dishonestly obtained; (3) on July 23, receiving stolen drapery, valued at £l3 5s 4d, the property of Charles Martin Dawson, and (4) on July 12, receiving stolen clothing, cigarettes, tobacco, confectionery, boots and shoes, valued at £SO Is lOd, the property of George Gordon Sutherland. ,

Edward Joseph O’Loughlin was fined 20s and costs for riding a motor-cycle in Colombo Street on July 16, at a dangerous speed, 10s and costs for riding without a license; and 10s and costs for not having a silencer on the motorcycle. Senior-Sergeant J. Fox said that O’Loughlin rode across the St Asaph Street intersection at thirty-five miles an hour. O’Loughlin said he had the loan of the motor-cycle from a man serving a sentence in Paparua Prison. Bail was allowed each of the O’Lough’lins in the sum of £2OO and one surety of £2OO.