On This Day in Wembury – 3 April 1930
At Yealmpton court, two local boys and a mother were brought before the bench following the theft of a leather bag and clothing belonging to Mr F. W. Pearse, an auctioneer from Plympton.
Pearse had left the bag in his motor car while attending a farm sale near Wembury on a wet day, carrying a change of clothes for the journey. On returning in the evening, he found them missing.
A 15-year-old boy admitted finding the bag and clothing strewn about a field, but denied taking them. He later showed another boy the items, which were then hung on a gate. He was already on probation and was bound over for two years.
A second boy, aged 14, pleaded not guilty to larceny by finding. His mother also denied knowingly receiving stolen goods, though she had handed some of the clothes to Constable Soper when questioned. She admitted her son was wearing part of the clothing at the time, which the officer duly collected later. The court fined her 10 shillings for receiving.
The case illustrated how rural crime, even when involving relatively small amounts, was taken seriously in local courts, with both youths and parents held to account.
Source: Western Morning News, 26 Apr 1930.
Entries are summaries and interpretations of historical newspaper reports.