THEFT OF PETROL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 63, 17 March 1943, Page 6

THEFT OF PETROL

PALMERSTON NORTH “GANG” TEN YOUTHS~FUNISHED Palmerston North, March 16. At the Palmerston North Magistrate’s Court yesterday afternoon the greater part of the time was taken up with charges preferred against a gang of a dozen youths who, for some months have been stealing petrol in considerable quantities. Ten of this gang appeared before Mr. H. P. Lawry, S.M., yesterday, and were punished for their misdeeds. Their names were Maurice Norman Vile, George William Bell. Owen Leo Zumbach, James Dudley Sinclair, Reginald Waller Mercer, George Alvan Clarence Lovejoy, Graham Lindsay Barringer, Melvin John Smith, Mervyn Thomas Hocking and Raymond Edward Mclntosh.

Speaking of the theft of petrol Senior - Detective Meiklejohn, who conducted the prosecution, said it had become very serious during the last 12 months. He added that the theft of petrol was very hard to detect and that this gang had given the police a great deal of extra work. The charges and youths concerned in each were as under:— 27/2/43—Conversion of car valued at £250 the property of Sargood, Son and Ewan, from Selwyn Motors (Vile, Zumbach and Bell). Bell, for whom Mr. A. Ongley appeared, pleaded not guilty, the others guilty. 5/12/42—Theft of 12 gallons of petrol from Child Bros. Vile, Mclntosh, Zumbach, Smith, Bell). Bell pleaded not guilty, the others guilty. 10/1/43—Theft of 24 gallons of petrol from Goldingham and Beckett (Smith, Mclntosh, Zumbach). All pleaded guilty. 28/2/43—Theft of 6 gallons of petrol in Wanganui. (Vile, Zumbach and Hocking). All pleaded guilty. 10/10/42—Theft of 42 gallons of petrol and 8 of kerosene from Hodder and Tolley’s. (Sinclair, Mercer and Lovejoy). All pleaded guilty. 19/12/42—Theft of 30 gallons of petrol from Goldingham and Becketts. (Lovejoy, Mercer and Barringer). All pleaded guilty. 17/10/42—Theft of 17 gallons of petrol the property of the Government. (Vile, Barringer and Mercer). All pleaded guilty. 24/10/42—Theft of 30 gallons of petrol from Hodder and Tolley’s. (Sinclair and Mercer). Both pleaded guilty. 14/11/42 —Theft of 32 gallons of petrol from Abraham and Williams Ltd. (Vile and Mercer). Both pleaded guilty. 16/12/42—Theft of 40 gallons of petrol from the Kairanga County Council. (Vile, Mercer and Sinclair). All pleaded guilty. 10/1/43 —Charge of receiving four gallons of petrol from M. J. Smith, knowing same to be stolen, preferred against M. N. Vile, who pleaded guilty. 28/2/43 —Charge of converting the £250 car, the property of Sargood, Son and Ewan, preferred against M. T. Hocking, who pleaded guilty. 14/11/42 —Charges of the theft of 50 rounds of .303 ammunition at Porirua and of 25 rounds on 15/2/43 preferred against Bell, who pleaded guilty. Bell, who had pleaded not guilty, appeared first in connection with the conversion of the car from Selwyn Motors and one of the petrol thefts. Constable Sleeth told of an interview with Bell, who had admitted being picked up by Vile and that he knew the car had been stolen. Later Constable Sleeth submitted another statement signed by Bell concerning the theft of petrol from Child Bros. Mr. A. M. Ongley submitted for the defence that Bell did not get into the car until after the offence had been committed. He argued that Bell was not a party to the conversion. The magistrate did not hold with this view, he contended that Bell became a party to the conversion when, he rode in the car. Bell also knew they were stealing petrol. Mr. Ongley quoted authorities to show that Bell had not aided or abetted in the theft of petrol. The magistrate stated that Bell would have to be convicted on the car conversion but that he would consider the argument raised in connection with the theft of the petrol. Punishments were imposed as under:

Vile: Two years in a Borstal institution at Invercargill. Bell: Two months’ imprisonment for car conversion and seven days’ imprisonment, not cumulative, for the other three charges. Zumbach: Two years in a Borstal institution at Invercargill for two offences of conversion and three of the theft of petrol. Sinclair; Two months’ imprisonment, three charges of the theft of petrol, two being from Hodder and Tolley’s where he produced a key. He was convicted and discharged in connection with the theft from the Kairnga County Council. Mercer: 18 months’ in a Borstal institution at Invercargill. Lovejoy and Barringer: Concerned in the theft of two lots of petrol. Each fined £lO.

Smith: Two years’ Borstal at Walkare.

Hocking: Two years’ imprisonment with hard labour for conversion and 7 days for the theft of petrol. Mclntosh: The magistrate considered him lucky in not being convicted for car conversion because of the lack of prosecution by the police. One month’s imprisonment for each of twocharges of theft of petrol, the second to be cumulative on the first.