"STOP THIEF!"

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 187, 9 August 1932, Page 5

"STOP THIEF!"

BURGLAR SURPRISED. TRAPPED IN CITY SHOP. CHASED AND ESCAPED. Trapped in a Queen Street shop last evening, a burglar made a dash for liberty, and though he was chased by a civilian and a constable through city streets, he escaped. The man, showing eat burglar tactics, had broken into the shop through a skylight.

Mr. L. Rocard, manager of Cruickshank, Miller and Co., Ltd., called in at the firm's premises at 290, Queen Street just after 7 o'clock. After switching on a light near the front door he walked behind a counter to the back of the shop to turn on another light. He heard a rustle of paper and a scuffle, and then a man, crouched low on the outside of the .counter, shuffled toward the entrance.

"Stop, or I'll shoot!" cried Mr. Rocard, but his bluff did not succeed, and the man raced through the shop to the front door. As he neared the entrance Mr. Rocard hurled a lawn mower roller at the fleeing figure, but just missed. Handicapped by the fact that he was standing behind the counter, Mr. Rocard started after the burglar, who by this time had raced up Queen Street and turned into Wellesley Street East. Mr. Rocard's cries of " Stop that burglar" attracted Constable Anderson, who joined in the chase. The burglar raced down Lorne Street with the constable a good distance away, and Mr. Rocard trailing behind. The thief turned into the Majestic Theatre building, but when the constable and Mr. Rocard arrived he had disappeared. It was later learned that the man had been seen on the opposite sido of Queen Street and that he had raced up Wellesley Street' East. The constable, however, on the advice of a passer-by, got on the wrong trail and lost his man. When the shop was examined, it was found that the burglar had apparently gone down an alleyway leading from Lorne Street and climbed a waterspouting on to the roof. After lifting the skylight off he dropped down into the shop. He had opened the till and stolen about 3/6 in pennies when he was surprised.