Mrs Mary Coglan...Green Grocer, Subiaco (1923).
Throughout the early years of Subiaco women ran various types of businesses including shops. Mrs Mary Coglan and her daughter ran a green grocer shop on Hay Street, Subiaco.
During the 1920’s many businesses were broken into along Hay Street. When three teenagers decided to rob the Coglan’s shop, the daughter Miss Coglan gave chase into Kings Park. After the suspects eluded her they were later identified and arrested.
This is the story of the robbery from Trove, the database at the National Library of Australia. No copyright infringement intended.
West Australian, 28 June 1923.
JUVENILE CRIME.
Till Thieves at Subiaco.
Fresh examples of boys having taken the wrong path at an impressionable age, demonstrating the need of strict parental control, were furnished in the Perth
Children's Court yesterday afternoon when three lads, one only 13 years old and two others of 15 years, pleaded guilty to a charge of having given a false name and address to the police, while two of them admitted a charge of having on June 14 at Subiaco, attempted, to steal from the greengrocery shop of Mrs. Mary Colgan, of Hay-street, Subiaco.
The 13-year-old boy was still going to school, where he had shown marked ability, having reached the eighth standard (professional), but the others had been previously convicted, one of them twice for stealing. Sergeant Harris, of Subiaco told the Bench (Mr J.M. Lapsley and : Mrs.E. Mellows, J's.P.) that the boys were found noting suspiciously at a grocer's shop, where thieving had previously occurred, and when he asked for their names and addresses they made false, statements. Later they were seen at Mrs. Colgan's shop and the proprietress, who had secreted herself, caught one in the act of opening this till, while another kept watch.
They got away, but Miss Colgan followed them to King's Park, where they, eluded her. After they were arrested and identified they admitted the offence.
During the past few months several, other tills had been robbed, and two places had been broken into in a fortnight, the method in the till cases having been the same as in the case before the Court.
Inspector Bulley, probation officer said that the boys lived, at Fremantle and had been searching for work. The 13-year-old boy, who had a stepfather, had not been attending school for a fortnight, the method in the till cases invalid, and the third had a conviction for breaking and entering.
The Bench decided that, as two of the boys had not taken advantage of the chance they had previously been given, they would be sent into the care of the State until 18 years of age. The youngest boy would be placed on probation for 12 months.
The mother of one of the elder boys became hysterical on hearing the verdict and the young culprit affectionately and kissed her until, he was taken away by an officer of the Court.
