"BURGLAR" CAUGHT

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 186, 7 August 1936, Page 5

"BURGLAR" CAUGHT

ON CITY ROOF-TOP.

. LAUGHED AT DETECTIVES.

CARETAKER'S MISTAKE.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) CHRISTCHURCH, this day. A clattering on the roof! The care- ! taker of the big city store halted sharply 011 the first of his nightly [rounds. The door leading to the roof of ithe building was locked; he knew that. How then had anyone managed to get up there? It must have been a difficult climb and not the sort of venture anyone would undertake on a sleety night unless their intentions were nefarious and they expected rich reward. Obviously, the caretaker thought, this was a ease for the police. It was 9.45 p.m. He telephoned the detective office. Perhaps he was a little incoherent. He must have given the impression that an army of burglars was on the roof, for, 011 the stroke of ten, three husky detectives arrived at the shop. With discreet whispers the caretaker welcomed them. Cautiously they stoie up the stairs. Outside the door giving access to the roof they paused. Thenwas a scrambling noise outside. Swiftly turning the key, one of the detectives flung the door wide. No, it was not the cat. This is not one of those stories. It was a man, and a large man. The officers of the law closed on him. It was an arrest —-but there seemed to be something wrong. The captured man did not seem alarmed. He did not even look guilty. He looked startled, certainly, but soon lie began to laugh. This was all wrong. Detectives are not used to having arrested men laughing at fhern. There must be some explanation. They demanded it. Here it is: J

Alterations have been in progress at [ this store for some months. On a recent evening a workman was engaged on the roof of the store. The contractor in charge of the job was with him. When the staff left the building shortly after 9 p.m., they locked all doors, including that 'leading to the roof. Knowing the two men were on the roof, they left a note for the caretaker, asking him to let them in at 10 o'clock. At a quarter to ten the contractor I decided to go home. He went to the door but found it locked. He banged on it without result. It was this noise that had first attracted the attenion I of the caretaker, who had not seen the | note which would have explained it. At j 10 o'clock, the contractor again went to 1 the door. It opened and he stepped , into the arms of the law. The prisoner was released without I bail. !