Kent & Sussex Courier, Friday 14 September 1877.

Westerham Extensive Thefts.

At the Sevenoaks Police Court, on Monday, before Major German; William King and Elizabeth Lofthouse were charged with stealing and carrying away a basket, two and a half pounds of bacon, 3/4 of a pound of cheese, 4 ounces of sugar, 4 ounces of tea, two leather articles, and a gimlet, of the value of 6s., the goods and chattels of Edward Lisney, at Westerham, on the 9th of September.

Edward Lisney said he lived at Mr Charles Dulake's "Swan Inn," Westerham, and was an engine driver. On Saturday evening last he left the basket in the tap-room of the "Swan Inn" containing all the articles mentioned in the charge. He left them there about 7 o'clock. He missed the basket on Sunday morning at 7:30. He gave information to P.C. Sheppard on the same morning. He valued the articles stolen at 6s. The basket produced by P.C. Sheppard was the one he left in the tap-room, and the gimlet and bacon produced were also his property, which he missed on the 9th instant. The piece of cheese produced was similar to that lost.

Charles Dulake said he kept the "Swan Inn," Westerham. The prisoner came to visit his house on Friday last, 1st of September. They asked for lodgings, and he put them into a cottage close to his house. On Saturday, 8th of September, he saw his lodger, the prosecutor, hanging up his basket in the tap-room. The prisoner went into the tap-room afterwards, but as they were both drunk he refused to let them stay in his house. The famale prisoner took the basket of a nail and went down the road with it, and the male prisoner went out with a female prisoner with a basket. He asked her what she was going to do with the basket, as it was his lodgers. She said it was hers and she should have it.

Charles Cronk said he lived at Charman's Farm, near Westerham, and was a cowman. On Saturday morning, 9th of September, the prisoner offered him the basket, produced by P.C. Sheppard, for sale. He bought it off him for 6d. he offered it him for 4d. He gave him the gimlet after he had bought the basket, and he handed it to P.C. Sheppard with the basket on the 10th of September.

P.C. George Sheppard said:- From information he received from the prosecutor on the preceding morning he produced to Tonbridge where he apprehended the prisoners. he asked the female prisoner if she had a basket. She said "Yes," and handed to him the one he now produced. It contained cheese and bread, and she had the tea and sugar in her pockets. The bacon he found in the lodging house where the prisoners were. He apprehended them, and the male prisoner said he cut some bacon off that piece, referring to the peace he then had in hand, and which he now produced. He then charged the prisoners was stealing a basket containing bacon, tea, sugar, &c, from Dulake's beerhouse, at Westerham. They both said they knew nothing about it. The basket and gimlet he now produced he received from the last witness, Cronk. He also produced some tea, cheese, and sugar, in the female prisoner's pocket, and at the lodging house at Tonbridge.

Prisoners were committed to Maidstone to take their trial at the quarter sessions.