Mexborough & Swinton Times – Saturday 14 June 1924
Miners Charged with Looting
Turning Other People’s Misfortunes to Account.
Three men were charged, at the Doncaster West Riding Police Court, on Saturday, with having attempted to steal from the shops in which were aflame.
Benjamin Hinchcliffe, miner, was accused of having tried to steal the clock, the property of Ernest Giles, jeweller (whose shop was completely destroyed by fire); George W. Ashton, a young miner, with having stolen three metal watches, the property of Ernest Giles, and Thos. Enfield, pony driver, aged 16, was charged with having stolen a tin of salmon, and other things, belonging to Wm. V. Simpkins, grocer.
The clock was valued at about £22 10s., the three watches about the same amount, and the salmon, etc., was approximately stated to be worth 3s.
Hinchcliffe pleaded “not guilty.”
Ashton admitted his guilt.
Enfield remarked, “I saw other people taking things, and I thought I might as well do the same.”
Police-Sergt. Sparrow said he was called out early in the morning—about 1.30—because of the fire. He saw Ashton put his left hand under the revolving shutter at the jeweller’s shop and take something out. He stopped him and asked what he had got. He replied, “Not much.” There were three metal watches in his possession. He apprehended him.
Ashton said he could give no reason for taking the watches. “He suddenly took it into his head to do so.”
The shutter of the shop was held up. The glass was broken and it was thus easy to pilfer from the window.
Supt. Minty said the most serious part of the matter was that the police were fully occupied with fighting the fire and were unable to turn attention to thefts of this kind.
Ashton was a miner, a married man, and he was separated from his wife.
P.C. Sparrow said with regard to Hinchcliffe he was taking two men into custody when he saw the prisoner put his hand under the revolving shutter and take a clock. When the man saw him he put the article back. He went to the man, about 3.40, and charged him with having attempted to steal the clock.
Hinchcliffe said, “I did attempt to steal it, but I put it back.” He was too busy with two other men to take Hinchcliffe into custody at the time of the attempted theft, but afterwards took up the case.
Hinchcliffe said he had a hose pipe in his hand, when he took up the clock. He was fighting the flames for some time.
The Police-Sergeant admitted that the man was engaged for some time in trying to cope with the fire.
Ernest Giles, jeweller, living at 3, Waverley Terrace, Conisbrough, said he left the shop about 8 p.m. on Friday. Early on Saturday morning he received information that the shop in Strafford Terrace was on fire. The fire was not extinguished until 6 o’clock on Saturday morning.
Hinchcliffe said it was about five minutes to one o’clock on Saturday morning that he knew about the fire. He got there before anybody else. He helped to take the children and the furniture from the back premises. He was the very first to make an effort to deal with the flames. He spent some hours with a hose pipe and had to time to pilfer.
He served in the Navy during the war and was now receiving £1 a week pension. A bullet had penetrated his right lung. He certainly took up the clock, but he had no intention to steal it. He was actively engaged at the fire till it was put out. The clock had been twisted and was hopelessly damaged by the fire and was useless.
The magistrates agreed there was doubt in the case and therefore Hinchcliffe was discharged.
Thos. Enfield was apprehended by Police-constable Bowden. He saw the young man going away from the fire and noticed his pockets were bulging. He stopped him and found he had a salmon tin, a small bottle of sauce and other articles.
Enfield said: “I have taken them from outside the shop.”
He further stated, “I was watching the fire. There were lots of lads about. I saw them taking things and thought I would do the same.”
It was ascertained that Enfield had been convicted on a previous occasion for stealing.
The Chairman of the Bench, Mr. G. E. Cocke-Yarborough, referring to Ashton, said it was a very serious matter taking advantage of other people’s misfortune. This class of offence was commonly called looting.
Ashton was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment.
The Chairman said the Bench would deal leniently with Enfield on account of his youth, and he would be bound over for six months.