HARD TO CATCH.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 139, 13 June 1936, Page 4 (Supplement)

HARD TO CATCH.

REFINED " CROOK." SCIENCE BEING CALLED IN. While the Police College at Hendon, London, has been producing a new race of clever young sleuths —detectives studied in the arts of crime investigation, taught by wily old inspectors—a new race of criminals has also been born. Science and the laboratory arc helping the new superdetective in liig war against crime, bat education has come to the aid of the criminal, making him harder than ever to detect. And so the battle of vita goes on. To-day's young criminals are bolder, better-dressed and educated, and much less violent than their prototypes of a quarter of a century ago—a startling fact which has called forth comment from Mr. Noel B. Goldie, K.C., M.P. —Manchester Recorder. Jemmy In Sleeve. The artist in crime with brain enough to dress like a real artist, when he robs, say, a house in Hampstead or Chelsea; or like a city businessman with spats, bowler and neatly rolled umbrella, when he rifles a mansion flat in Clapham or Stamford Hill, would never be recognised as a crook. He can out-stare even the most suspicious detective, and stand a good chance of getting away with it. With a jemmy concealed up his sleere lie can walk calmly up to a door and prise it open. He is clever enough to wear gloves and use little tricks of disguise. One famous crime investigator considered there was real danger in the present situation. "Every crook has received some education to-day," he said, "and lie needs only to move around to gain all the culture and finish he needs. In days past the doors of fashionable hotels anil restaurants were closed to people below a certain standard. Now they are more or less open to any type who can pass muster in the matter of dress and can afford to pay a little extra for their drinks. I have seen many well-known crooks at Mayfair gambling parties, outshining most of the other guests in the brilliance of their wit, and the immaculate cut of their clothes. 1 have known famous forgers who actually dined with peers, dukes and Indian colonels to find out how much their v.ctims had in ready cash - at their •banks."