WATERFRONT PLUNDERS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 142, 14 June 1912, Page 6

WATERFRONT PLUNDERS.

1 ■ HAUNCH'S OH ENGINE STOLEN. A DABISG THEFT. A recrudescence of the waterfront "piracy" which a lew months ago worried the owners of eeows, yachts and launches of Auckland Harbour appears to have set in. On Sunday night a number of thefts of goods were made from oil launches jnoored on the Pousonby side of the waterfront, but yesterday there arrived news of a much more daring and impudent robbery, this time from the- Pantell side. Mr. J. J. Pulton, chemist, of Pantell, had his launch. Glenayr moored in Mechanics' Bay, jnst off Wynyard Pier. Yesterday afternoon he received word that the launch -was settling down, and appeared in danger of sinking at her moorings. The owner hastened out to the spot, and found the launch so deep in the water that the side vent for the engine's exhaust pipe was almost on the water, and had he been only a little later the water must have rushed in through the vent and very speedily sunk the launch. Bailing out at once uncovered the 1 fact that some person or persons had 1 removed th-e engine of the craft bodily from its position, and carried the complete mechanism away. The engine had been, of course, bolted in pjace, and the bolts had been removed, with the reeult that the water came through the boat-holes, slowly filling the boat. The engine is a 3i h.p. Forth engine, which weighs »boa± ITOlbs., and is valued at about £40. The cumbersome nature of the mechanism •■■makes it clear that the tjieft had bew .preplanned. Uneasy boat owners have questioned the •ajntinuaace of the harbour police patrol which was instituted at election time, bui the police authorities state ; that the patrol work is still in consistent operation.