Raid after store thefts

War department staff took boots

Complaints of stealing from the War Department stores in Stirling led to a raid on the facility by police, the Observer of 100 years ago reported.

Hefty fines were imposed on a number of employees who had stolen footwear and clothing, all of it second-hand.

Mr Waugh, fiscal, told the court pilfering from the stores had become “very troublesome”and losses to the War Department had been “extreme”.

Sheriff Dean Leslie threatened jail terms for those who continued to steal from the Government.

Accused John Thomson (47), labourer, Cambuskenneth, was charged with stealing a pair of boots and a pair of shoes.

Thomson’s lawyer said there had been “considerable laxity” at the stores and his client had swapped half-worn boots for the old ones he had been wearing.

“While of course he had no right to do what he did, looking at what other people were doing at the stores, he thought it was no fault to change the boots,” said the lawyer.

Fiscal Mr Waugh retorted, however, that employees at the stores seemed to consider that to take another pair of boots was not stealing, adding: “Killing was no murder with them.”

Another accused, David Ferguson (50), labourer, 56 Abbey Road, Stirling, was found in breach of the Army Act for having in his possession a “cardigan jacket” and pair of boots belonging to the War department. Ferguson got the jacket and boots from a soldier serving in Mesopotamia (Iraq).

Mary Johnston or Galloway (40) storeworker, Baker Street, Stirling, was also charged with stealing a pair of shoes.

She had been working at the store and put in charge of “classifying” boots, a pair of which she handed to Ferguson.

She had made no personal gain and faced a future of hardship as her husband had been killed at the Front and she faced losing her job because of the incident.

Stirling labourers James McKenzie, 46 Spittal Street, and James Orr (58), 25 St John Street, also faced the court. McKenzie was charged with stealing two pairs of boots and a pair of shoes, while Orr was said to have reset a pair of boots.

Mr Muirhead said Orr had gone down to the stores wearing a “very bad pair of boots” and McKenzie, having noticed the condition of the footwear, gave him another pair.

The case against McKenzie was dropped after the court heard he was a soldier who had applied to be taken back by his battalion. The others faced fines of £3 and £4 or the alternative of terms in prison.