Escaper Eludes Dogs, Police

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31090, 20 June 1966, Page 1

Escaper Eludes Dogs, Police

(New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, June 19. A 20-year-old prison escaper, Tukurua Pihere, went within 40 yards of being caught by the police on Saturday, but was still at large tonight.

Police patrol cars are keeping continuous watch in streets about the Birkdale, Beachhaven and Birkenhead areas.

A man believed to be Pihere was seen at an intersection in Beachhaven at 3 a.m. today but police were not informed of the sighting until six hours later. “We suspect Pihere has attempted to interfere with three cars in the area but has had no luck,” a police officer said tonight. “Radio broadcasts warning local residents to lock their cars might have paid off." Pihere, along with two other youths, escaped from the Hamilton police station cells on May 18. Since then he has eluded police in Northland, South Auckland and Hamilton. Detective - Sergeant R. Squires, of the Takapuna C. 1.8., said on Saturday: “We heard Pihere was staying in a house in Victoria street east, Birkdale. “As we entered the house Pihere dived out a window and took off into thick bush.” Constable T. A. Beatson,

with his dog Adam, tracked the man a mile and a half along stream beds in the bush. The man then broke out of the bush in Vermont road, raced across the road a few feet away from where Detective-Sergeant Squires was sitting in his car and dashed back into more heavy bush. Police officers in hot pursuit got to within about 40 yards of him as he was clambering over a fence. Nine police and five civilians, bounded by dog handlers, then made a sweep of bush in a gully between Vermont road and Salisbury road. Police cars have made constant patrols along surrounding streets and constables armed with portable radios have kept watch at strategic positions.