MORNING CHASE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 303, 23 December 1941, Page 6

MORNING CHASE

PYJAMAS "PARADE"

WHAT EARLY RISERS SAW

Clad in his pyjamas, with bare feet, Inspector D. J. O'Neill, of the Auckland Central Police . Station, this morning chased, grappled with and arrested a man whom he later charged with breaking, entering and theft.

His version of the chase was recounted to a reporter by Mr. Lan McKenzie Chambers, who lives at Hotel Stonehurst, Symonds Street, where Inspector O'Neill also resides.

"About four o'clock this morning," he said, "I awoke and saw two men in my room. One was crouching near a tallboy at the end of my bed. As soon as they saw I was awake both decamped. I ran out of my room, which is on the ground floor, and on getting into the garden I could only see one of the men. When he disappeared from view I went back 'to the hotel and roused Inspector O'Neill. While he communicated with the police station I kept a watch for the men. When Mr. O'Neill came out I happened to see two men on the opposite side of Symonds Street and pointed out one man as the one I had chased.

"Off went the inspector down Symonds Street. As he ran the inspector shed both slippers. He caught one man at the corner of Mount Street. When I caught up with the inspector and the suspect I was instructed to take care of four quart bottles of beer which the latter was said to have had in his possession. Barefooted, the inspector led the man back towards Stonehurst, with me following closely, still carrying the four bottles. Although I had lost over £6 in money, I could not help seeing the funny side of the situation. Then the sirens sounded the test air raid alarm—and up went all the windows in the vicinity! I wondered what the neighbours thought of seeing us in Symonds Street in our pyjamas. Without waiting to retrieve his slippers, Inspector O'Neill marched his prisoner around to the watchhouse in Princes Street and lodged him in the lockup." Suspect in Court This morning, in the Police Court, Harold Alexander McNeil, a labourer of 37, appeared before Mr. J. Morling, S.M., charged with stealinjg a fountain pen, two propelling pencils, a comb, two money boxes and £6 6/ in money, of a total value of £8 7/6, the property of lan McKenzie Chambers.

Detective-Sergeant Trethewey applied for a remand until January 12.

Appearing for accused, Mr. M Robinson asked for bail.

While I admit that accused is bailable as of right, I am opposing the granting of bail," said DetectiveSergeant Trethewey. "Only yesterday, in this Court, McNeil was charged with the theft of a hat valued at 10/ and was remanded until January 12, being allowed bail in his own recognisance. This morning, about four o'clock, he was found in a room at Hotel Stonehurst, allegedly stealing 'from a man's pocket. He was in company with another man. The owner of the property gave chase with Inspector O'Neill, who caught McNeil. It is alleged that some of the stolen property was found in McNeil's possession."

In granting the remand Mr. Morling fixed bail in a surety of £100.