Four Of Five Escapers Remain At Large

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29130, 16 February 1960, Page 16

Four Of Five Escapers Remain At Large

(New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, February 15. Armed police threw a cordon around Kawakawa Bay, 37 miles from Auckland, tonight after David Peter Robinson, a 17-year-old deserter from H.M.S. St. Bride’s Bay, one of five prisoners who escaped from the Auckland Central Police Station cells last night, walked into a farmhouse and gave himself up. Robinson told the farm manager (Mr K. Fife) that one of the escapers had a .303 rifle and could be dangerous. He had 50 rounds of ammunition. The men were hiding in the hills.

Robinson walked into the farm at 6 p.m. and asked the way to the nearest town. Mr Fife did not recognise him, and directed him to Kawakawa Bay, a favourite holiday spot on the Firth of Thames. Robinson bought a paper, Mr Fife said, and returned to the farm at 7.25 p.m. He told Mr Fife who he was. and asked him to telephone the police. The escapers are believed to have been seen at 3 a.m today in Papatoetoe. They were driving a blue Morris Minor car, with the licence number 478-408. This car was taken from Seccqmbes road, Newmarket, last night

At 6 a.m. a launch was found drifting down the Tamaki estuary. It had been looted. It Is believed that a rifle was stolen from this craft. A transistor radio was among property missing. During the day the police searched the Papakura-Clevedon Bush area. At 2.15 p.m. a man was disturbed interfering with a car at Mangere. He made off Some cars were diverted to that area.

Queues at Roadblocks By 5 p.m. queues of more than a mile long were forming at metropolitan junctions where the police had roadblocks. The face of every occupant of every vehicle was scrutinised. Two hours later Detective 1. A. Cooper was on his way to Kawakawa Bay to arrest Robinson. Extra men were called out. and five cars rushed into the area. Special cars carrying rifles and revolvers were sent out to arm policemen already arriving in the area. Late tonight more than 12 policemen, armed with revolvers, rifles, batons, handcuffs and search lamps, tightened a circle on the firea believed to contain the four men. There are few roads in the area. It is hilly country, studded with clumps of bush and trees.