THIEVES IN STORE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 3, 5 January 1937, Page 9

THIEVES IN STORE.

GOODS AND RIFLE TAKEN. CONTROL AT PRISON CAMPS. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) TURANGI, Monday. Goods valued at £30, including a .303 rifle, were stolen from Taylor's fishing lodge at Turangi during the week-end. The crime is the latest of a series in I the vicinity of National Park and Lake Taupo, for which inmates of prison camps in the district have been blamed. The week-end burglary at the store attached to the fishing camp conducted by Mr. W. J. K. Taylor was discovered lon Sunday morning when it was found that the plate-glass window of the shop had been broken with a stone and that the burglars had then entered and ransacked the stock. The goods stolen were comprised of tobacco and clothing, in addition to various miscellaneous articles. The burglaries in this particular area have now been continuing for about six weeks. Mr. Taylor's store having been broken into previously about the end of November. Subsequent police inquries showed that doors at the Rangipo a'|l Whakapapanui prison camps had been tampered with so that they could be opened after they had been barred for the night, and goods stolen from various stores in the district were found in the vicinity of both camps. Residents complain that no night officers have been kept on duty at th»- prison camps, and they are extremely apprehensive concerning the safety of their property It is contended that the system of control at the camps is in urgent need of overhaul.