Leaves Police Force, Gets First Burglar

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31128, 3 August 1966, Page 8

Leaves Police Force, Gets First Burglar

AUCKLAND, August 2. “Ironic rather than heroic” was how th® owner of a coffee shop in Sandringham road described his apprehending a suspected safe blower at 2.45 aan. •I was in the police force for nearly two years and never caught a burglar,’* Mr W. J. Groom said. “It is ironic that I should catch an intruder less than a year after leaving the force.” Mr Groom held the man until the police arrived, while a friend, Mr K. W. Gibson, chased another man for half a mile before losing him. Detectives later arrested a second man in connexion with the incident. They praised the sterling work of Mr Groom and Mr Gibson. Mr Groom said that he and Mr Gibson were having a cup of coffee with friends when they heard a muffled explosion near by. “I thought it was a backfire

at first,” said Mr Groom. "Then I thought It was firecrackers. But a third explosion seemed to come from the Economy Meats shop next door, so we rushed outside to see what was happening. "I grabbed one man at the back door, but the Other got out the front door with Ken after him.” Mr Gibson spotted the man in a crowd at the scene of a motor accident but the man hurled a bag of gelignite at him and made off before Mr Gibson could regain his balance.