Magistrate Says Transport Men Are Stealing
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REFERENCE to what he atescribed as touting by receivers of stolen goods at places frequented by road haulage drivers was made by Mr. H. T. Manknell, a defending solicitor, at Bradford City Police Court, last week. He was appearing for some drivers and drivers' mates who pleaded guilty to the theft of goods—mainly wearing apparel.. and foodstuffs—from their employer, Ryburn United Transport, Ltd. Five of the men were scntenced to six weeks' imprisonment, and two others who were concerned in only one case were each fined 210 or one month's imprisonment. A café manager who pleaded guilty to receiving 432 worth of the stolen goods was sentenced to six months' imprisonment.
The Stipendiary Magistrate, Dr. F. J. 0. Coddington, said the prosecutions made it still more plain that there was a great deal of stealing among men employed in transport. The men charged with stealing were watchdogs who had behaved like Wolves.
Mr. Manknell said he thought the real cause of the large-scale stealing referred to by Dr. Coddington was touting by receivers. He was told that people went tb places • where haulage drivers met and asked what they had to sell. They even offered to buy from them the accessories on their vehicles. Another factor was that goods were not so well packed nowadays as formerly, with the result that packages
burst more frequently. "
Mr. J. Stables, for the prosecntion, said that the defendant drivers and plates had been mainly employed by the Ryburn United concern on longdistance journeys. Quantities of stolen goods had been found at the homes of some of them, but a considerable amount had been sold.