The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1952-03-06
ARREST OF TEN
CLEANS UP SERIES
OF ROBBERIES HERE
Junk Dealer and Nine Teen
Ayers Involved In Larceny
And Robbery

The arrest of nine young people,
ranging in ages from II to Is, along
with a 29-year-old junk dealer, is be-
lieved to have ended the series Of
robberies and thievery which were
occurring in Oakland over the past
several months.
Calvin Larch, %, who came here
last year from Charleston, w Va,
was charged with receiving stolen
goods from several Of the youngsters.
He admitted in statement to the
State Police that he had purchased
batteries, heaters and tires from the
boys, but at hearing before Magis-
trate w. O. Bitter on Tuesday he
pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Formerly employed by Sanders Motor
freight he now is junk dealer He
was held in the county Jail in default
of $4,000 bond set by the magistrate,
who held him for action Of the grand
jury which conveneS on Monday.
Apparently cleared up are the
thcfts from the shop at the high
school, breaking and entering of the
NuWay Laundry, MAYORS store, the
Garrett Truck and Implement COM
pany, The Meyer Motor Sales, and the
theft of automobile accessories from
automobiles belonging to Ralph Pritts,
and parked in various lots around
town. Guns. knives and shells, stolen
from the Naylor store were recovered.
Charles Ashby, lG, Donald Martin,
II, and Perry Lewis, Is, were ar
rested last Friday by State Police
Corporal Samuel Conrad and Trooper
Robert Henlinc, and charged with the
theft of an electric drill and other
tools from Oakland High school. At
a hearing Saturday morning before
Magistrate Bitter they pleaded guilty
to petty larceny and were given a
one year suspended sentence in the
Maryland Reformatory for Males.
Spotting a stolen tire which had
been marked on a local automobile
led to the breaking Of the other cases.
The names Of these lads under Is are
not being published, due to their cX-
trcmc youthfulness.
Two boys, aged IS, have confessed
to entering the Naylor store, the
Pontiac and international garages.
One of these boys also has confessed
to breaking into the NuWay Laundry
on February s. Another 13-year-old
youth confessed to this entry at the
same time.
The other Of the first two boys also
confessed to stealing batteries, heat
ers and tires at various times from
the automobiles of Ralph Pritts. An
other youth who is not yet Il years
old, was brought in Wednesday and
charged with the theft of auto acces-
series from the same person. He
waived hearing and was held under
bond.
Another youth, IA, confessed to aid
ing the two l5-year-olds in the Nay
lor robbery by providing tools with
which to force their way into the
building, and then by hiding the guns,
knives and ammunition.
Still another one, William Kemph-
fer, II, on Monday, was arrested for
theft of tires from the Ralph Pritts
car lot near the Dusic Wholesale. He
pleaded not guilty.
All the juveniles were placed under
$500 bond for their appearance at the
March Term of Court.
Working on these cases were the
two state patrolmen, Sheriff Paul w.
Fisher, Deputy +. J. Frantz, city
police Henry Arnold, and others. The
news of the events has brought sober
thought to the parents of this area.
Pritts declared that his thefts have
been occurring over the past several
months and that his loss would
amount to several thousand dollars.
One of the youths confessed that
Sharps and Leighton Brothers were
next ON the list and that this was
prevented by snow which fell last
Saturday night.
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