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MANIA FOR MOTORS

AND A CAREER OP CRIME. \ YOUNG MAN'S BAD RECORD. , A sad story of a young man* lapse and a short career of crime was told in the Magistrate's Coot* this morning before Messrs W. G, Bassett and H. A. Purser, J.'s P. The accused ,was a young man named Percy Erickson, alias Peter Ericksom, alias Frederick Bowraa», who did not appear to realise tha gravity of the situation in wßJeh ho had placed himself. Smiles Ire-* quently came upon his face, and ho appeared to take no interest in the proceedings. Prior to the charges heard this morning accused was awaiting sentence on nine other charges of theft from dwellings, i»* eluded in which were six motor cycles. The total value of the articles and money stolen amounted to £316. Prom evidence produced Erickson appears to have had a mania for motor cycles. He would enter a town, steal a motor cycle, and make off to another town where he would dispose of it for less than a quarter of its value, and then steal another machine. If he happened t» be short of money accused would break and enter a dwelling sad heft* himself to the contents of cashboxes, etc, and then made off. H« also represented himself to be a discharged soldier on occasion. This morning there were f<wf' fresh charges preferred against ae-** cused, as follows: — (1) On October 4, 1916, at Wa»* ganui, he did break and enter tike, shop of Stanley Wilson, cyde agemk, Liverpool St., Wattgamri, and stoat a cash box and its contents, containing £9/15/4. (2) on' November 6, at Woodvißa,, he did steal a Douglas motor cycle, valued at £SO, the property of Jetkro Smith. (3 On November 13, at Wangsmni, he did steal a Royal Ruby motorcycle, valued at £3O. (4) On November 18, at Spreydoa, he did steal a motor cycle valued at £4O, the property of Amos Leonard Stokes. Evidence for the prosecution was given by Stanley Wilson, Senior Sergt. Simpson, of DanneVirke, Plainclothes Constable Black, of Weilinston, and several others. Accused, on being formally charged, pleaded guilty to the first three charges, and was committed to the Supreme Court at Wellington, for sentence. On the application of Senior-Sergt. Bourke, who conducted the prosecution, accused was remanded to appear at Wellington <m April 18 on the fourth charge.

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Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WH19170412.2.42

Bibliographic details

Wanganui Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15192, 12 April 1917, Page 5

Word Count
392

MANIA FOR MOTORS Wanganui Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15192, 12 April 1917, Page 5

MANIA FOR MOTORS Wanganui Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15192, 12 April 1917, Page 5