TRAIL OF FIRES AND THEFT

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 256, 16 August 1950, Page 4

TRAIL OF FIRES AND THEFT

SIX INCIDENTS IN HALF AN HOUR POLICE SCOUR AUCKLAND SUBURB (P.A.) AUCKLAND, Aug. 15. A motor-car, a truck and the contents of a garage, were set alight, a business premises was broken into and attempts were made to enter two other premises at Orakei to-night between 10 and 10.30 o’clock. Four patrol cars . manned by detectives and police from the central station scoured the area, but no arrest was made.

A patrol car went to the Orakei shopping centre about 10 o’clock to investigate a report that three shops had been broken into. The detective found that thieves had entered a tobacconist’s shop owned by Ivan Peterson by smashing the glass front door. Nothing had been taken. Attempts had also been made to enter a chemist’s shop next door owned by I. W. Grigg and the Orakei Post Office.

While patrolling the area in search of the thieves the detectives noticed flames coming from an Auckland City Council water works truck parked outside the home of J. Day, of Tautari Street. As they were putting out the fire Mrs Day noticed the blaze and telephoned the fire brigade. The only damage was to the upholstery in the cab, which was destroyed.

Then the detectives saw smoke coming from a concrete garage in Tautari Street. The garage was empty, but a kapoc mattress had been set alight. The garage had not been used for a week. Meanwhile the owner of a small car outside a house in Reihana Street, Athol Blake, had been told that his car was blazing. Little cohld be done t'o save the vehicle before the brigade arrived, and the car was soon reduced to a blistered, smouldering wreck. The area is a State housing settlement, and there are many cars parked on grass verges and in the streets.