KRIBS KRACKED.
BY KATANNING’S KROOKED KIDS.
BOY BURGLARS BOOBED.
CHECKING CAREER OF CRIME.
Southern Districts Advocate
16 January 1928 – P4
Most big cities have their gangs of “bad eggs,” but Katanning, though of some pretensions in the way of population, has managed to bear a quite unblemished record, at least so far as could be seen on the surface.
However, if the grown-up members of the community have been able to refrain for their fair town an atmosphere of almost ultra-respectability, members of the rising generation have not been so fortunate, or perhaps we should say goody good. Whether it be the desire for adventure so inherent in the boyish breast, or the evil teachings of some of these film features that make heroes of clever crooks of the underworld of New York and other Yankee cities, we are not at liberty to stipulate. But certain it is that of late a wave of ambition in the direction of outlawry has apparently overtaken quite a number of the youth of Katanning.
It had been known for some time that petty pilferings bad taken place round about, and last week the climax was reached when it became known that Messrs Richardson and Co., Limited, Rogers and Co., Limited, and Barkley and Gilbert’s premises had been broken into.
This was discovered on Monday morning last, and Pc. J. F. Flinders, who is in charge of the local police station during the absence of Sergeant Spry on holidays, was notified, and his men were soon scouting around.
Suspicion. was fixed upon a lad of about 15 years, and a little interrogation broke his attitude of defiance to such a degree that he appeared quite satisfied to save as much of his skin as he could by letting up on the gang. The result was that before the day was over two of his cobbers, who had been out with stolen rifles and ammunition having some sharp shooting practice, were also apprehended as they arrived back from their little outing.
On the following morning a fourth lad of about 15 years was nabbed, his offence being that he had pinched a sum of twenty-eight bob from the steaka-da-chop Shop which boasts the high-falutin title of the Strand Cafe.
This was treated as a separate case and the culprit was brought before Messrs W. J. Rogers, R. L. Richardson, and F. M. Gare, J’s.P. He admitted having collected the cash, and vouchsafed the information that it necessitated two trips in order to amass such wealth from the source stated.
This lad was subject to epileptic attacks, and his father admitted that the boy was rather uncontrollable. Consequently, the Bench packed him off to an industrial home until he arrives at the supposed age of discretion, 18 years. It is understood that at least one or two other youngsters “received” a small portion of the proceeds, but it is not known if the case is sufficiently strong against the latter to justify prosecution. If so, they should certainly come up for their share of the gruel as well as the other fellows.
In regard to the three who worked in unison, it appears that they made some of those good resolutions usually said to be associated with the New Year, and two of these decided to put their resolutions into operation right on that very day. Consequently, they secured a rope a la Tom Mix and, climbing to the roof of Rogers Ltd store, they fastened an end around the main chimney stack. They then opened a skylight, and the rest was easy – had they not often witnessed upon the silver screen the gallant hero go to the rescue of the bobbed or shingled “star,” by climbing hand over hand along a rope dangling down the side of a jagged cliff amongst the dizzy heights of the Rocky Mountains?
On this occasion, so far as can be learned, the bandits purloined a Remington rifle and some cartridges, with possibly a few biscuits, and other edibles. On the following weekend, however, they set about matters in a methodical and on a much more wholesale scale. The three musketeers on the Sunday afternoon about 5 o’clock, had a look around Richardson and Co’s premises where the extensive additions are being made, and it was a simple matter to get on to the roof. And their depredations might not have been readily noted but for the fact that the member who endeavoured to manipulate the skylight was rather clumsy and fell through, smashing the glass to bits.
Anyway, he got in and, opening a back door from the inside, let in the two other young scamps. They made off with some goods and tucker and were at their respective homes at teatime. A little later they peregrinated around to the rear of Rogers’ and once again the Rocky Mountain stunt was executed – one doing the act while the others calmly walked in by the soon open door. As in most of these romances or tragedies there must be a touch of humour, and the head of this big firm of austere merchantmen must have felt amused when he found on Monday morning that his own office had been used as the captain’s cabin where in the cheeky youngsters had felt so secure as to sit – the boss of the gang in the manager’s swivel chair – the while they filled their little Marys with the firm’s best biscuits and cheese, which they washed down with a bottle and a half of the firm’s good lime juice cordial.
From these two big providories the bandits amassed quite a tidy swag, which contained rifles, cartridges, butcher’s and other knives, electric torches, a watch or two, a supply of biscuits, tinned sardines, half-crown chocolates, and as the clearing sale advertisement says, sundries too numerous to particularise. Probably they missed the smoker department, or they were in search of bush-ranging or wild west literature.
At any rate, they next moved round to the rear of Barkley and Gilbert’s, tobacconists, news purveyors and book salesmen. Here they cut a piece out of a small window, through which one of them inserted his mitt and slipped the bolt. But their luck was out – the door leading to the next department was locked.
On Monday the police came across three sets of bathing costumes on the banks of Piesse’s big dam, and it transpired that these had been taken from one of the stores visited. They had been used only once and being naturally wet were not considered worth the trouble of drying and taking away – there were plenty more where those came from, and quite easily getable, so why worry!
On Tuesday morning the three young highwaymen toed the mat at the local police court, with Messrs F. M. Gare and R. L. Richardson, J’s. P., on the Bench while the charge of breaking into Rogers Limited was heard, Mr Rogers taking Mr Richardson’s place while the charge relative to Richardson and Co’s. was recounted.
At the conclusion, the lads having pleaded guilty, each was bound over to be of good behaviour for 12 months, on their respective parents entering into a bond of £10, the costs of the prosecution, £6 4s 6d, to be equally divided and borne by the said respective parents. Goods to the value of £35 were restored, and whether this be the lot or not, Messrs Rogers and Richardson refrained from seeking any recompense for anything used up or still missing.
In addition, the lads were ordered to receive five strokes of a three-thonged implement of torture selected by the sympathetic Bench, the strokes to be administered on the bare bottom ends of the culprits in the presence of the constable in charge.
Thus ends, let us hope, for many a long day, the escapades of Katanning’s first band of boy buccaneers. May they make a better ending than they made at starting of the year of our Lord 1928.
Kribs Kracked. Kribs Kracked. Kribs Kracked. Kribs Kracked. Kribs Kracked.