WOMAN'S RUSE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 201, 26 August 1939, Page 7

WOMAN'S RUSE.

INTRUDER SURPRISED. ESCAPED AFTER CHASE. STRUCK WITH AXE HANDLE, (By Telegraph—Own Correspondent.) DARGAVILLE, this day. A courageous plan bv a marrie<l woman to trap a burglar 111 lier home at night was carried into effect at Dargavillc last evening. The plan worked perfectly until the burglar made a dasli and evaded capture, though not before he had been struck over the head by the -woman with an axe handle.

The woman. Mrs. M. Peko, who lives ] in Victoria Hoad, usually leaves her home unoccupied on Friday evening to relieve her husband in his shop for tea. About two weeks ago the house was entered during this interval. Last evening Mrs. Peko, instead of going to the shop, left her front bedroom window open, extinguished the lights and remained in the passage. Everything was quiet until about 6.45 p.m. when she lieaTd someone approaching the front of the house. She then heard the visitor enter the bedroom by the window, which *he had left open. Mrs. Peko approached the bed room, switched on the light and saw a young man, a stranger to her. in tlie room.

"You have got mo this time and I suppose you are going to" ring the police," said the stranger. Mrs. Peko turned to use the telephone 'to inform the police, but while she was doing so the man made good his escape. Mrs. Peko picked up an axe handle and chased the man who dashed across to the opposite side of the road. His bicycle Mas lying against the lied-re, and as he was mounting it Mrs. Peko succeeded in striking him across the head, although the blow did not prevent the man from escaping. Mrs. Peko's call for assistance was answered by neighbours and later Serjeant F. Culloty searched nearbv streets and roads in various directions' but no tiace could be found of the intruder.