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Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 15, 18 January 1930, Page 7

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CRACKSMEN CAUGHT. DETECTIVES CAST THE NET. YOUNG MEN ADMIT SAFE BLOWING SEVERAL "JOBS", CLEARED UP. TWO FUTILE ATTEMPTS LAST NIGHT. Under dramatic circumstances early this morning, detectives arrested two men, both 25 years old } who admitted that they have been responsible for a number of safeblowing "jobs" done in Auckland during the last few weeks. All the paraphernalia of expert cracksmen were found in .their possession. ; William James Leslie, a box-maker, and Jack Edward Peters, a labourer, at present out of work, are the men's names. They \vere arretted in Wellington Street at 2 o'clock this morning by Detectives C. L. Packman and A. Allen, when returning from two futile attempts on grocery stores in Kingsland.

Since Hutchinson Brothers' store in Great South Road was broken into one Friday night just Jbefore Christmas, and goods and money ■ totalling £S9 were stolen, detectives have scoured the city arid suburbs nightly. The net was'cast far and gradually drawn tighter until last night the twp detectives, waited under the shadow of the safeblowers' own room in Wellington Street. It these two suspects turned out to be the "wanted" men, they now had only the slenderest chance of slipping, through the net. ,j. di-ji. Out On the Job. It was Friday night—late night for th-j suburban grocers' shops, and the takings could not be banked. Armed with safe- ■ blowing equipment, the two men left Leslie's room in [Wellington Street, where t\vo girls, one the 18-year-old wife of Leslie, waited anxiously for their return; The detectives let the men go. Through the night the- detectives waited around. Occasionally the girls looked anxiously out of a window up and down the street. Lights went out at the approach of footsteps, then flashed on again a,s the steps faded in the distance.' Somewhere near midnight the detectives slipped swiftly and quietly down an alleyway, near the side of the house. Here they waited an< watched. In the meantime, the cracksmen had journeyed to Kingsland. They made two attempts to break and enter grocery shops, but strong padlocks barred their way on both occasions. Page's store on one side of the road showed the marks of a jemmy this morning, and the men had even got as far as forcing one of the padlocks on'the front door, but still they were frustrated. Directly opposite is

338. New North Road, a branch of the Self-Help Stores. Jemmy marks tore out the men's statement that they. had made an attempt on that store. ; - ' Into the Net./ Foiled in 'two attempts, the men apparently decided that home was the best place. They reached. Wellington' Street just before two o'clock. Their approaching footsteps attracted the attention of the women waiting within .the house. The screech of a window being hoisted was heard by the detectives standing in the shadows of the alleyway. A woman's head was thrust out, and after a quick glance at the homecomers, the, window, was hut down. Lights appeared Almost at the gateway, the two men were accosted by the detectives who silently slipped out of the (shadows; Only a few words passed between the quartet.' A visit to the detective 9ffice was suggested, and realising that the game was up, the cracksmen agreed. Detectives searched the room, but found nothing of interest. The men turned out their pockets/ and this was the attractive little pile they produced: Gelignite, detonators, fuse, ' an electric torch, a vicious - looking gunmetal knuckle-duster and a jemmy. When the detective office was reached, Leslie and Peters admitted that they had been responsible for the safe blowing and theft at Hutchinson's Great South Road store, where they made a haul of £89. They told a most interesting story,

mentioning that they had made attempts on the stores of Hutchinson's, Ponsonby Road, Cage's, Kingsland, Self Help Stores, Kingsland, and A. W; Gallau-o-her's store in -.Victoria Street, which they broke into last. Friday night. On that "job" they go,t into the store and put A charge .of gelignite in the safe, but the plan miscarried. Peters' House Searched. The next job for the detectives was to search the house where Peters lived in Ponsonby. Here they found a good deal of housebreaking and safeblowing material. Among the- interesting exhibits which will be : displayed in Court will be about a dozen plugs of gelignite, about 100 detonators, a length of fuse, and a baton, made from the, wooden spoke of a motor car wheel. ' The explosives, the men eaid, were stolen from an Auckland

Police - officials are delighted with the work of the detectives.. For the detectives it was a long and tiring search extending over three weeks, during wS time patrols, were sent out every Tight. Last, night, the city was virtua ly swamped, with- detectives .and plainclothes men, and the luck needed to -be all on the.side of the cracksmen for taern to have got away job. With the arrest of the/men charged with the theft of metal .from Masefields la«t week-end, the clever capture of the safeblowers and the. quick .arrest yesterday after an, exciting chase of the lad wo had been stealing carpenters tools, a good deal of Auckland .crime has been Cl LSie U and Peters,- who appeared hefore Mr. K. Hunt/S.M., in the Police Court this . morning; were remanded on the'application of Chief Detective HamSml il January 24.. The charge faced by.ibe.iSKr was breaking S entering the. shop of, Hutchinson's S Great South Road and stealing £89. in goods and money. Leslie answeied •• further charge of breaking' and entering the shop of R. W. Gallaugher, Victoria. Street. . • .■ ..