SYDNEY'S "BUSIES."

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 115, 18 May 1933, Page 10

SYDNEY'S "BUSIES."

HARD-WORKING DETECTIVES. ANTI-BURGLAR ACTIVITIES. (From Our Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, May 12. Since January of this year, two detectives have been "working" Marrickville, one of our most populous industrial suburbs. A great many thefts had been recorded there, complaints from householders and shopkeepers were frequent, and Detectives Hayes and Sharp set themselves resolutely to root out this evil. After laying their plans carefully, and shadowing a number of "suspects" for some weeks, they proceeded to action; and they now claim that they have cleared up 235 separate robberies, involving in all over £2000. Of the six principal "suspects" arrested, 30 charges of theft were preferred against one man, and 40 charges of house-breaking against his mate. Two other men divided 00 chcarges of theft bet-syeen them. But pride of place must be given to another, a lad of 18 years, who has 105 separate charges to answer. It may seem almost incredible that in such a highly civilised and progressive city, robbery and burglary —though generally on a small scale—should be carried on eo continuously, and for a time with such unbroken success. Of course one must allow for the density of population, the existence of a- welldefined class of men and boys, whose aim is to live not by work, but by preying on others, and the comparative numerical weakness of the forces that have to cope with these criminals. It certainly speaks well for the courage and energy of our police and detectives, that, few in number as they are, they can "clean up" the crime-infested sections of the city from time to time in such drastic fashion. It is eviueiit tjmi, wJien gangsters here, in the jargon of the slums, refer to the detectives as "busies," they mean precifiely Twhai-thqy Bay,