CAMBRIDGE BURGLARY

Waikato Independent, Volume XXXVI, Issue 3449, 28 April 1936, Page 5

CAMBRIDGE BURGLARY

YOUNG MAN IN COURT

ESCAPADE IN JANUARY

The story of a young can's escapade in a car stolen from a private garage in Cambridge was related to Messrs G. K. Sinclair and F. Findlay, J.P.'s, in the Police Court at Hamilton last week, when a married labourer, Ronald Edward Morrison, alias Ronald Booth, aged 26, pleaded guilty to converting a car owned by lan Ferguson Fairbrother and breaking and entering the shop of George Calvert and Company and stealing goods valued at £l2 3/- on January 31. The accused was arrested in Wellington on February 7, but he became ill and was admitted to the Wellington Hospital where he was a patient until April 17.

Maurice George Calvert, a member of the firm of George Calvert and Company, Cambridge, stated that on February 1 he learned that a quantity of men's clothing was missing from the premises and found that the skylight over the men's department had been opened. Witness identified the clothing produced in Court as portion of the missing property and stated that the shirt, blazer and trousers worn by accused were similar to those removed from the premises on February 1. The brown paper produced would not be used .for wrapping customers' purchases. \ Number Plates Changed.

Detective A. J. White who prosecuted, explained that on February 7 the accused had been arrested at Wellington in possession of the car owned by Mr 'Fairbrother and the property was identified by Mr Calvert. After arrest the accused became ill and was taken to the Wellington Hospital, where he remained until April 17, when he made a statement to the police at Wellington admitting that he had removed the car from a private garage at Cambridge. With an associate whose name he would not divulge, the accused said he had participated in the burglary, his companion entering the premises while he secured the car.

Accused, with the car in his possession, said he was admitted to the shop and assisted to remove the stolen goods. He then drove the car to New Plymouth where he changed the number plates to an old series which he found, and travelled on to Wellington. He was arrested there with the car in his possession on February 7.

Accused pleaded guilty to both charges and \vas committed to the Supreme Court at Auckland for sentence.