STOLEN CAMERA.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20425, 2 October 1934, Page 8

STOLEN CAMERA.

Traced Through Developing of Film. The developing of a film on which were two photographs of a wedding group led to the tracing of a stolen camera and the appearance of Leslie Gordon Macbeth in the Magistrate’s Court this morning. Macbeth, a taxidriver, forty-five years of age, pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing a camera, valued at £o 10s, the property of Irene Ilumm. lie was convicted by Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M., and fined £2, in default fourteen days’ imprisonment. Chief-Detective Dunlop said that in December a woman was married in Riccarton and on the date of the ceremony she arranged with her brother to take photographs of the wedding group at the church. Two photographs were taken of the group, but later the camera was left in a taxi. The taxidriver was interviewed but could not find the camera. The accused, a night driver, used the same taxi, and he had found the camera. He had taken it to his rooms. Recently he lent it to a friend with the film still in it. When developed, the photographs of the marriage group appeared. B}' this means, the camera had been traced back to the accused. He denied having it, but the case was found in his room. Nothing was known against him and it was his first appearance in Court. For the accused, Mr Goodman said it was a foolish act. The accused should have communicated with the police on finding the camera in the taxi. He had made two attempts to get rid of it and when a friend wanted to take some photographs he lent it.