The theft of ladies' clothing to the value of $554 from Messrs. Boyes, Bassett & Co.'s shop in Nanking Road was the charge against two Russians who appeared at the Mixed Court on Tuesday before Mr. Jacobs and Magistrate Li. Abram Brozki, of 9 Dent Road, and Stanislava Febixovra Dzorakorskaya, of 886 East Hanbury Road, were the accused.
Mr. J. E. Lemiére, appearing for Brozki, asked for a remand, stating that he had been engaged for the defence only on the previous evening, and had not had time to prepare a defence.
The Court considered that the prisoners had had ample time in which to instruct a lawyer, and decided to go on with the case at once.
The story for the prosecution was that on Christmas Eve, in the afternoon-and at the busiest hour of the day, the prisoners made their way into Messrs. Boyes, Bassett's ladies' clothing department, by the back entrance. One of the assistants, Miss Parker, saw Brozki put some things under his coat. She informed Mr. Boyes, who at once tackled the man. Brozki drew a jersey from under his coat, threw it on the floor, and bolted, two ladies' dresses falling from his coat as he ran to the rear of the shop. The woman also tried to get away, and dropped a bundle of clothing which she had hidden under her cloak. The two were arrested and taken to Central Police Station.
Shortly after their arrival there, whilst the sergeant in charge was engaged at the telephone, the woman escaped. A watch was kept on the house in Dent Road, without result. Five days later, information was obtained that the woman was living at a Russian boarding house in East Hanbury Road, and there_she was arrested in an upstairs back room. She admitted having been in the complainant's shop. and said the clothing was given to her by Brozki.
Mr. Boyes informed the Court that thieves had paid several visits to his shop of late. He had reason to believe this was not the prisoners' first visit, since they came at the busiest time of the day. and used the back entrance.
Police evidence was also given to the effect that information had been received through a Japanese official
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.