No Knowledge Of N.Z. Gang Leader

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30820, 4 August 1965, Page 7

No Knowledge Of N.Z. Gang Leader

(London Correspondent.)

LONDON.

A recent sensational report in the “Sunday Telegraph” describing the activities of an Australian gang of professional shoplifters in London, alleged to have a New Zealander organising them, has puzzled detectives at Scotland Yard.

According to the report, the gang so far are "believed to have lifted goods valued at £250,000 from the best stores in the West End and the provinces.” Their activities are said to be under investigation by Scotland Yard’s C9—which handles nation-wide crime networks and controls C 8 (the “Flying Squad”) and Interpol. Chief Superintendent T. Butler, who heads the “Flying Squad,” told me that he did not know of any such gang in London similar to the one described. Of course, there have always been gangs of shoplifters, but I don’t know of this one at all,” he said. The newspaper article stated: “Detectives believe that the organiser of the ring is a New Zealand property owner beyond the reach of British law in Eire.” But Mr Butler said that it was the first he had heard of any such New Zealander. A spokesman for the C 8 Branch also said that they did not know of this “mastermind.” Arrests

“There have been a number of Australians arrested for shoplifting in the last few months, but we have no information about any concerted efforts,” he said. “Three were caught stealing in the West End area. I think one was fined £lO, another £25, and one got three months’ imprisonment.” “Reports of this sort of crime sometimes tend to get vastly exaggerated,” said the officer. "It may put things into better perspective if you consider that during 1964 there were 8436 cases of shoplifting reported in the metropolitan area of London (foodstuffs making up 41 per cent and clothing 29 per cent.). The total value of goods was £48,726, and of this £19,067 worth was recovered. I don’t know how the £250,000 worth reported to be taken by this Australian gang fits into these sort of statistics.”

Mr S. C. Rogers, the managing director of Watches of Switzerland, said that he had been told by a Savile Row station detective that Interpol had intercepted a letter sent by an Australian, a prisoner in gaol, to a woman in London. It contained the layout of the Bond street branch of the firm, with a key to the window and showcase, and details of when the receptionist went off duty to lunch. Key Fitted

The key fitted, so the shop has now had all its locks changed. Beyond this, Mr Rogers said, he had no knowledge of any Australian crime gang.

A Miss McGuan, a woman security officer at Gorringes’ store in Buckingham Palace road who was said to have described a raid by members of the gang, is now no longer working with the firm. The

manager, preferred to make no comment about the report. Interpol neither confirms nor denies any reports of its interests or activities, so the matter remains a puzzle. The “Sunday Telegraph” said that the gang offers Australian criminals their fare to Britain, £lOO a week and a percentage on all they steal—and that the police believed that they are trained at a

school for British shoplifting in Sydney. Their methods are supposed to include the use of cars hired under false names with forged driving licences, and special equipment, such as boxes with false bottoms which can be placed over goods to pick them up. They work in teams of six to distract the staff when on a stealing foray.