Thefts from a Blantyre doctor’s house were described at Glasgow Sheriff Court on Monday 6th June 1932 when John James Devlin was sentenced to eighteen months’ imprisonment for having broken into Priory House, Thornhill Avenue, Blantyre, and stolen a coat, gloves, a clock, and bag containing surgical instruments, poisons, and dressings.
The Procurator-Fiscal (Mr J. D. Strathern) stated that the goods, which were valued at £18 10s, belonged to Dr Harkin, who on the night of the theft had reitred to bed about midnight. In the morning he noticed that a clock in the breakfast-room was missing, and other articles were also found to have disappeared. It was ascertained that entry to the house had obtained by the breakfast-room window, tho snib of which was defective. The Fiscal pointed out that Devlin had been convicted on eight previous occasions.