VIGILANTES WARNED THEY RISK ARREST

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30642, 7 January 1965, Page 1

VIGILANTES WARNED THEY RISK ARREST

(New Zealand Press Association) DUNEDIN, January 6. Dunedin police intend to arrest any businessmen found patrolling their premises with shotguns to ward off burglars. Mr L. Bell, of Holland and Bell, Ltd., said yesterday that he would go after intruders with a shotgun.

In the last two months, three of Mr Bell’s garages have been broken into and thieves have stolen more than £6OO in cash, a £650 car which was later found burnt out and two safes.

Mr Bell had said in future he and his staff would patrol the garages at night with loaded shotguns.

The head of the Dunedin Criminal Investigation Branch, Detective Chief-In-spector F. A. Gordon, said today there was no justification, legal or otherwise, for armed gunmen to patrol Mr Bell’s garages.

“Police patrols cover the city day and night,” Mr Gordon said. “We do not find it necessary to carry shotguns or any other firearms. ‘‘Would Be Liable” “While there may be legal justification for any property owner to defend himself against the threat of violence by an intruder, he would be liable if any injury resulted from his undue resort to the use of firearms.

“On the other hand, any form of armed vigilantes patrolling and looking for supposed burglars is not lawful and under the provisions of the Arms Act, such a vigi-

lante would be liable to three months’ imprisonment or a £lOO fine or both. “They would be immediately arrested if found by police in possession of firearms for that purpose. “Similarly, any person who aided, abetted, counselled or procured any person to do so would be prosecuted as a party to that offence.” Mr Gordon said many businesses availed themselves of free advice from the C. 1.8., on improving the security of their premises against burglary. Perhaps Cheaper “Perhaps Mr Bell may find it cheaper to obtain such advice than to sponsor gunmen to patrol his chain of service stations," Mr Gordon said.

Mr Bell tonight declined to make any comment.