CAUGHT ‘RED-HANDED’

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20844, 30 June 1939, Page 9

CAUGHT ‘RED-HANDED’

BURGLARS IN A STORE MANAGER’S MIDNIGHT ACTION SUPREME COURT FOR SENTENCE Caught "red-handed” in the act of robbing a store at Kerepeehi, Donald McKenzie, aged 29, a salesman, and Albert William Gauntlett, cuius William Watson, aged 31, a labourer, appeared in the Magistrate’s Court, Hamilton, yesterday afternoon, as the result of a smart arrest last Friday. Charged before Mr S. L. Paterson. S.M., with breaking and entering .the Supply Stores at Kerepeehi and stealing cigarettes and tobacco valued at £i and £4 in cash from the till, the two accused had nothing to say in answer to the charges and, pleading guilty, they were both committed to the Supreme Court, Auckland, for sentence. un a charge of converting a car from Auckland on June 20, the two accused were remanded to appear in Auckland. Detective J. Hayes conducted tbo prosecution. Manager Aroused From Bed Robert Herbert Collins, manager of the Supply Stores, Limited, and postmaster at Kerepeehi, said his residence was near the store. About 9 p.m. on June 22 lie closed the shop. About 1.15 a.m. lie heard unusual noises in the store and jumped out of bed and made investigations. He sent his son for-a constable while remaining watching the store himself. When the constable arrived he went in with the manager. The storeroom door slammed but witness and the constable hurried through. The accused McKenzie was recovering from falling over a bicycle as Collins challenged him to raise his hands and McKenzie dropped an iron bar.

Searching the office after McKenzie had been handcuffed, Collins found the other accused, Gauntlett, standing with his back to the safe.

The two accused had broken a window at the side of the building and released a latch to gain entry in the premises.

Constable J. McClinchy said a car parked outside the store bore the number plates of a vehicle reported from Auckland to have been stolen. Witness searched both the captives, who admitted taking money and tobacco from the store. Both men were wearing gloves at the time of their arrest. A torch, a screw-driver, and a piece of stick carved to a point, apparently for packing gelignite into a keyhole, and a packet of sawdust vs ere found in Gauntlett's possession, in the car. the constable found two pieces of fuse.