A SHOP THIEF.

Waipa Post, Volume XXIV, Issue 1426, 13 November 1923, Page 5

A SHOP THIEF.

YOUNG MAN STEALS BOTTLE OP PICKLES.

(By Telegraph. Press Association.) AUCKLAND, Monday.

Certain incidents that had happened caused Constable McCarthy, of Takapuna, to take up a position where he could see and not be seen at the store of Miss Duncan, on October 25. The shop was not very big and the counter small. Presently four persons entered the shop, one girl and three young men, amongst the latter being John Robert Rigg, aged 20. The constable kept his eye on the quartet and saw Rigg apparently take some-' thing and place it in his pocket while bis companions were talking to the storekeeper. Rigg then left the shop but Constable McCarthy soon caught him up, and when asked what he had in his pocket Rigg replied "nothing." However, the constable found a bottle of pickles worth Is 6d in Rigg's possession, and a glance at a case in the shop where Rigg had been sitting showed plainly where the bottle came from.

This morning, before Mr J. W. Poynton, S.M., Rigg denied, the theft and with the assistance of counsel sought to show that it was customary for people to go into the shop, pick up a tin of jam or such and remark, "Put this on the books" to Miss Duncan, and it would be charged up. This it was contended, was what Rigg had' done.

His Worship did not see eye to eye with the defence, not being able to get over Rigg's statement that * he had nothing when questioned by the constable. '

The police mentioned that Rigg shirked his drill, and the magistrate imposed a sentence of seven days' imprisonment.