SERIES OF THEFTS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 41, 18 February 1938, Page 9

SERIES OF THEFTS

PILFERING FROM POCKETS IMPRISONMENT FOR YOUNG MAN Responsible for a series of thefts at the Imlay Freezing Works, Patrick Graham Kennedy, a native of England, appeared at the Wanganui Magistrate’s Court yesterday morning, charged with attempted theft on February 16 and the theft of a sun. of 10s, the property of Edmund John Gray. The accused pleaded guilty to both charges. Detective Murray said that the accused, who gave his age as 18, had been employed as a labourer at the Imlay works since January B.' Since that time a series of thefts from employees' clothing had occurred and the foreman became suspicious ot Kennedy. On Tuesday Kennedy arrived at the works at 9 o’clock and announced that he was finishing up, asking for his time-sheet and wages. While these were being obtained, the. foreman saw Kennedy loitering about in the dressing-room, where the clothing of some 150 men was hanging. The foreman set a man to watch from a platform above the dressing room and Kennedy was seen to go through the pockets of several sets of clothing. He was subsequently arrested. The accused arrived in New Zealand in April last year, as a member of the crew of the Raranga. He deserted in New Plymouth and was apprehended in Wellington in July for a theft from a room-mate. On that occasion he was convicted and fined £5 on the charge of desertion and served part of his sentence in the Wanganui gaol. Kennedy was described in the police records as being 24 years of age. He had registered as unemployed and has given his age as 22 years, although he now said he was only 18. He had been earning £6 a week at Imlay. Asked if he had anything to say, accused said he realised it was im! possible to earn a living wage when he arrived in New Zealand and so he took out a levy book and gave his age as 21. He said he was born at Maidenhead, Middlesex, in 1920. He has had a college education and could speak German and French. The Magistrate: The pnus is on you to show your age, but you have no evidence. The trouble is you have, been in this sort of trouble before and I must impose a term of imprisonment. You will be sentenced to three months’ imprisonment on tlv, theft charge, and on the other con! victed and ordered to come up for sentence within 12 months.