CUNNING YOUNG THIEF”

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 85, Issue 228, 27 September 1941, Page 7

CUNNING YOUNG THIEF”

PAINTER BEFORE COURT NINE CHARGES OF THEFT OF TOOLS Pleading guilty to four charges ol theft of tools from A. C. Gillespie, valued at £1 Os 6d, Thomas Ollett (£6 12s 3d), Wanganui Sash and Door (£1 7s), and H. M. Williams (18s 6d), and not guilty to five charges of theft of tools from Daniel McAfee (£8 7s), Clifford H. Davis (£7), Frederick Fowler (£5 9s), A. K G. Jackson (£36 Ils), and Meryn C. Copley (£2 17s), Harold Edwin Morgan, a painter, 21 years of age, residing at Virginia Road, appeared before Mr. J. H. Salmon, S.M., in the Wanganui Magistrate’s Court yesterday. The total amount involved was £69 16s 9d. Accused was convicted on all charges and remanded for sentence.

Detective-Sergeant J. K. Robertson conducted the prosecution, and Mr C. F Treadwell appeared on behalf <sf accused. Detective L. B. Vasta said that on September 9, 1941, in company of Sergeant G. Howes, he interviewed accused. Morgan was questioned about a belt sander alleged to have been stolen from Jackson and McCarthy, and replied that he had bought one from a man serving overseas for £7. He added that he did not know 'the name of thf man. He was asked if he had bought other tools from this man and he replied, “Yes, a few.’’ Sergeant G. Howes and witness accompanied Morgan to his workshop on Virginia Road extension. There were many tools there. Morgan was asked to select the tools he had bought from the un-named man He replied that he could not remember all the tools he had bought from this man. He said he had a list of the tools in an exercise book and the other tools in the workshop were his own property and had bought from secondhand shops and auction marts. Some of the tools in the workshop, said the detective, had been altered, planes having the ends sawn off and names removed. Some of the tools which Morgan said he had bought from the un-named man were not listed in the exercise hook. Police inquiries were made regarding the identity of the un-named man, but he could not be traced. To Mr. Treadwell: Morgan was frank about the theft of the tools to which he had pleaded guilty, and gave the police every assistance. Tools produced in Court by the police were identified by the various owners as their property.

Morgan, giving evidence, said that he was a painter by occupation and lived in Virginia Road. He acquired a bach about half a mile away in which he intended to start a workshop. Witness attended dances every Saturday night and everyone there knew he was starting a workshop and was wanting tq buy tools. The unknown man referred to arrived to see him, driving an Austin car, and wearing a brown suit. This man said he had a belt sander for sale and wanted £7 10s for it. "I paid him £3 down for the sander and asked him if he had any more tools to sell,” said witness. Witness said he was interested in some estate in Wellington, and in June had received a sum of £l6. Out of this he had paid £ll for tools. Witness admitted the four charges of theft in regard to Gillespie, Ollett, Wanganui Sash and Door Co., and’ Williams, but not to the other five charges. If he had stolen anything from these people he would have admitted it. The thefts from Gillespie and Ollett were done on the spure of the moment. The articles from the Sash and Door Co. had oeen borrowed and not returned.

To Detective-Sergeant Robertson accused said that it looked as though the tools produced in Court had been stolen. He had not sold any of the tools, and it had not occurred to him that the sander had been stolen, because when the unknown man sold it to him it needed a deal of repairing. Also he thought the unknown man wanted to get rid of the tools before he left for camp.

Detective-Sergeant Robertson: Is it true that in 1938 you made a statemen to the police regarding stolen ■propertv ?—Y es. This is the first time you have been before the Court for a criminal offence? —Yes. Mr. Treadwell, asking for probation, said that accused suffered from epileptic fits and was in a low state of health. Accused's kink for things mechanical had no doubt been the cause of his position to-day. Counsel produced a .sheaf of testimonials from various business men in Wanganui, certifying to accused’s good character. “Accused is before the Court to-day on nine charges of theft.’’ said the magistrate in summing-up. "He has pleaded guilty to four charges and not guilty to five. He has told his story regarding the thefts. When a person is found with stolen property in his possession the onus is on him if he cannot explain that these goods were obtained honestly. Can accused say this? He spoke of an unknown man who came to him on five different occasions to collect certain sums of money. Is it conceivable that a man who had stolen goods would come back so many femes for payment? "Accused is a cunning young thief," the magistrate continued, "and he has not improved matters by his cock-and-bull story. He even stole from his friend, Mr. Gillespie. He will be convicted on all the charges, but in view of the fact that he is an epileptic, I will get the Probation Officer’s report on him. Accused will be remanded in | custody until next Monday, when he will come up for sentence.’’