WHITBY FREE PRESS, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1973, PAGE 7 KALNINS ON COURT REPORT . . . THEFT FROM METROS FINEST This week I wanted to be a "nice guy", particularly to all those hard-working cops in Metro Toronto. Often, they are called Metro's "finest" and with some justification, I must say. I was about to join the growing army of cop- supporters. You know, for all the good things they do to our citizens, but mostly for the slogan they have chosen to use liberally -'To Serve And Protect'. Some people have also told me that the Metro Toronto police force is the best on a continent: efficient, polite, helpful and above ail - gentlemen of the highest order. Well, I almost believed in this, until I had this unpleasant exper- ience the other day. Inadvertantly, I had overlooked the parking hours in the customer's parking lot at 33 Edward St., Toronto, and when I arrived at this address to collect my vehicle, I found the gate locked with a huge padlock. Immediately, I phoned the police department and told them what happened. The dispatcher for the 52 Divison told me: "We will send a scout-car over at one." I waited for half an hour, but (you guessed it) there was no police curiser in sight. I phoned back the 52 Division. "Oh yes, we haven't forgotten you", said the radio dispatcher. "The officer is on his way." Thirty more minutes elapsed, but I coudn't find a single scout-car. To say the least, by now, I was getting a bit impatient. I placed a call to Sun's police desk and asked my newspaper colleague to call the staff sargeant. I understand he carr- ied out my wish, but still nothing was happening. The wind outside got stronger and stronger and my feet got colder and colder. Finally, after one hour and 15 minutes, I called the Sargeant of Detectives and explained my problem. He, apparently, had seen my name in the Toronto Sun, and this helped a lot. The scout car arrived in a record three minutes. "What's your problem?" asked the officer. I retold my story for the fourth time. "Well sir", he started in a rather skeptical tone "you may have to stay out ail night, if the owners do not want to open the gate." Then, he implied that it was ail my fault and this would teach me a lesson. Still reluctant, he grumbled: "Well, ['Il take you to the station". So he did. After five minutes, I was glad'to hear that the man who had locked the gates had been finally traced. He gave me the man's home address. "But, he may not give you the key", the officer cautioned me. You have to take a chance". As I didn't want to take a chance, I asked the officer if he could find me the phone number. No, he couldn't. "There's a phone book", he pointed to the nearest wall. Fortunately, the man's name was listed. "Can I use your phone?" I asked as sweetly as possible. "Sorry, we cannot allow you to use our phone", the officer asserted. "Can't you see the pay phone?" Well, t saw the pay phone, but i didn't have a dime. Then, another policeman relented and i could make my call. When I arrived at the man's house, he was very apolo- getic. t explained what happened and he said he was very sorry for ail the trouble t had to go through - just to get my car out of the parking lot. So, after three and a half hours, I finally got back on the road. This little incident shows that if you need any help from the cops, you might as well be wasting your time. But, if you have not paid a $5.00 parking tag, they will be on your doorstep aimost every day. Thiey will travel far and wide to serve you the summons. But, should the tables be-turned (like in miy case), you might as well forget about the Metro's finest. I could see a more appropriate name - the Metro's Slowest, or something like that. WHITBY CAR FIRM BRINGS JAIL SENTENCE Dale Douglas Elderkin, alias Dale Roberts, 17, Royal Hotel, Whitby, was sentenced to a nine months definite and 12 months indefinite jail term by Provincial Court Judge H.W. Jermyn, on the charges of break, enter, and theft. When he appeared in the Whitby Court on October 16th Mr. Elderkin pleaded guilty to the charge. Between mid- night and two o'clock in the morning of October 13th the office of Nicols Motors was ransacked and a $100. calcula- tor and a number of keys, for the cars on the sales lot, were taken. The calculator wasn't recovered. Using the keys taken from the office, Mr. Elderkin drove a 1966 model car to Oshawa where the car broke down. He then returned to Whitby going back to the car lot and stole a Toyota. The youth was taken into custody on October 13th and remained in custody until sentence was passed. Mr. Elder- kin was on probation from a previous conviction when he committed this offence the Court was told. The jail term began November 6th, the date he was sentenced. Police said that both cars were recovered and the keys taken from the Office were also recovered but the calculator wasn't. J rCdna nn Jiats WHERE YOU WILL FIND THE FASHION'S FINEST OSHAWA CENTRE DRESSES TEtEPHONE 728-8442 SUITS ACCESSORIES ilÃ