AN ARGANISER OF CRIME.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 65, 19 March 1926, Page 9

AN ARGANISER OF CRIME.

TWO BURGLARS GET GAOL IDENTIFIED BY FINGER PRINTS SMART POLICE WORK. On February 13. -when the Commercial Hotel "was unoccupied during building alterations, the temporary bar was burglariously entered, two overcoats, a quantity of liquor and cianrs being taken. -Also, about tliis time, explosives ■were used on a safe in the office of Rosenfeld and Comjjauy. The investigating detectives took charge of 11 bottles in"the Commercial Hotel and forwarded •them to the criminal registration branch in Wellington. Senior Sergeant Dimrie, the finger-print export, found good prints on the bottles and within two hours of the time -when the cases containing the ibottles had been opened, a telegram was dispatched to the Auckland detective office giving the name and previous reference of an offender. It was subsequently established by the Auckland detective staff that the man whose finger-prints were found on the bottles had a confederate. Information to this efi'ect was immediately forwarded back $o Wellmjrion,.when it was found that this man's finger-prints were also on tho bottles. As a result of this. Leo Sylvester Ilaunan (25) and. George Kdward Allen (2<>) Tvere arrested in Auckland. They both appeared at the Police Court yesterday afternoon, each being , charged with stealing six ibottles of whisky, two overcoats and a quantity of cigars from the L'liiiimercial Hotel. Hannan was also charged ■with causing Tvilful. damage by using explosives on Rosenfeld and Company's safe. Mr. Singer appeared for both accused.

Chief Detective Cnraraings said that Hannan was quite frank wlien arrested. tut Allen would admit nothing. Allen ■was a master criminal, who had a bad ]ist. Besides ibeing lazy and cunning, ho was an organiser of crime and knew Low to handle explosives.

On behalf of Hannan, Mr. Singer said that he was not a confirmed criminal. He came from a most respectable family srid had got into trouble by becoming addicted to liquor.

The magistrate, Mr. F. K. Hunt, senienced Alien to six months' imprisonment, to be followed by two years' rfcformative detention. Hannan received ■ix months' imprisonment and one year"s reformative detention.

It is doubtful if ever "these offences would have been cleared up had it not been for the finger-print system, as 110 identifiable property was traced to either accused. In the majority of cases where finger-prints are a feature, the accused plead guilty, and in many instances the public is never aware that detection is due to -this system. Senior Sergeant 3Dinnie was present in Court yesterday afternoon, but did not tender evidence, es both men pleaded guilty.