AIRMEN’S THEFTS

Waikato Times, Volume 194, Issue 22353, 20 May 1944, Page 8

AIRMEN’S THEFTS

TOOLS AD EQUIPMENT [“TANTAMOUNT TO SABOTAGE” (By Telegraph.—Press Association) AUCKLAND, Friday “This case comes as a.nasty shock to the Court and must also to the public, especially as two of the accused have had overseas service,” | said Mr J. H. Luxford, S.M., today | when four aircraftmen of the Royal i New Zealand Air Force pleaded j guilty of thefts of Government pro- ; perty. ! Ernest Raymond Harland, aged 23, land Robert Watson, aged 31, pleaded guilty to charges of stealing four motor tyres, tubes and wheels valued at £4O, four kits of tools valued at £36, while Harland alone was charged with stealing a vice valued at £5 and four tins of paint valued at thirty shillings. Albert Roy Sigley, aged 32, pleaded guilty of stealing five kits of tools valued at £45. Reuben Ernest Scarborough, aged 41, was charged with receiving two kits of tools valued at £lB, and a civilian, Orren Maurice Bernasconi, aged 29, motor engineer, pleaded guilty of receiving two motor wheel, tyres and tubes valued at £2O and four kits of tools and a vice valued at £4l, knowing them to have been dishonestly obtained.

The police evidence was that the property belonged to the Air Force and was found missing from the Air Force marshalling yards at Auckland. Wheels and tyres had beep taken, from a bomb carrier and specialist tools from mobile workshops. The authorities viewed these thefts most seriously, because the 14 sets of tools stolen were all front-line equipment, I already sealed awaiting shipment to i forward battle areas for the Air I Force. If the shipment could not be made it might have resulted in the grounding of aircraft. Seriousness Realised Both the police and counsel for Scarborough said it was in his favour that after giving one of the other men a hand to shift some tools he realised the seriousness of what was going on and consulted another member of the Air Force. He got the tools he was concerned in removing and placed them back on Air Force property with the intention of putting them in the workshop again, but he was sent away before he had an opportunity.. The magistrate said what was done was really tantamount to sabotage and those who thought they could get away with it knew what they would get if they failed. The men were entitled to no leniency. They chose to pilfer service stores, to dispose of them and share the proceeds. Bernasconi, as receiver, was really worse than the thieves. A sentence of nine months’ imprisonment with hard labour was passed on Bernasconi, Harland, Watson and Sigley. Scarborough was fined £lO, immediate payment being ordered.