KOTITI INTERCEPTED, TAKEN INTO NAPIER

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29748, 15 February 1962, Page 12

KOTITI INTERCEPTED, TAKEN INTO NAPIER

Men Aboard Arrested (New Zealand Press Association) NAPIER, February 14. Three unshaven men from the stolen Lyttelton schooner Kotiti were whisked off to the Napier police station eight minutes after the naval launch Olphert berthed at Napier at 8 o’clock tonight. The three men were arrested when the Kotiti was boarded by armed police at 138 p.m. today off Pourerere Beach, 50 miles south of Napier. The boarding of the Kotiti ended a chase by the Olphert which started last night on the east coast just north of Wellington. The Kotiti was stolen from Lyttelton on Sunday night. After the boarding the three men on the Kotiti were transferred to the Olphert and two police and four Navy personnel brought the stolen schooner into Napier. The voyage to Napier from Pourerere was made with the Olphert leading and the Kotiti trailing some distance behind.

Two police cars and a number of policemen, led by Chief Inspector J. L. Graham, Senior-Sergeant R. Jones and Sergeant G. Dwan, waited on the wharf to meet the boats.' Immediately the Olphert berthed the Kotiti slid in alongside and was moored on the seaward side of the naval launch.

In charge of the police on the launch was Senior-Ser-geant N. P. Grace, of Wellington. He gave instructions for the three men’s luggage to be taken ashore. This was brought up a hatchway from below decks and consisted of two suitcases, sweaters and overcoats. It was handed up by police and naval personnel and placed in the boot of a police car. The men were then brought up one at a time and escorted to the waiting police cars.

The first man up was of dark complexion, of slight build and tihin features. He was wearing denims and a black sweater. When placed in the first police car he sat and sullenly looked at the police and other officials. He was unshaven and his hair

was disarranged. The second man moved swiftly up the ladder. He also was wearing a black sweater and long white boots. He was put into the police

car alongside the first man. He was of much stockier build than the first man and had blonde curly hair. A constable clnmibed in alongside the two men and the car sped away down the wharf. Third up the ladder was a tall, strongly built man. He was placed in the second police car under the escort of

Sergeant Dwan. Senior-Sergeant Grace said that when the Olphert went alongside the Kotiti the schooner was under power and sail. “The Kotiti hove to on instructions from the naval offcer in charge, Lieutenant Glyde and the schooner was boarded by the police and naval men,” said SeniorSergeant Grace. “Two police and three Navy men went aboard,” he added. “They did it really w’ell. There was no trouble, but

it was not an easy job in the heavy sea which was running.”

The seas were “fairly rough” on the chase up the coast. “It was not so good for us.” said Senior-Ser-geant Grace. Senior-Sergeant Grace said

the Sunderland flying-boats I had kept the Olphert well in- ; formed of the progress of : the Kotiti. “We were in . constant touch and it greatly : assisted us.”