Police Capture Gaol Escaper

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31333, 1 April 1967, Page 1

Police Capture Gaol Escaper

(New Zealand Pres« Association;

AUCKLAND, March 31. The New Plymouth prison escaper, Sonny Laurence Kingi, was captured by police in the Auckland Domain at dusk today.

The 21-year-old timber worker who eluded a 60-strong police search party aB day was flushed from his hiding place just before 6.30 p.m. The sighting which led to Kingi’s arrest was made by Constable A. Beatson who was driving a police van in the domain road known as Lovers’ lane. Kingi dashed from the bush and ran straight past the van. Knowing that another police van was nearby. Constable Beatson radioed for help. Bosh Chase His call was answered by Constable R. L. Ware and Constable J. H. Keatley. They pursued Kingi through the bush, a clump of blackberries and a small bog and eventually caught him on a bank at the southern end of Carlaw Park. Kingi did not struggle. He will appear in the Auckland Magistrate’s Court charged with escaping from

custody. Further charges are pending.

Kingi escaped from gaol on Tuesday night. He spent Thursday night in a house in Alamein road, Panmure, after breaking through a police cordon at Te Awamutu. He was reported to have left the house at 6 a.m. and was seen in Glen Innes 10 minutes later. The search was switched to the city when a car which had been taken from Ohaupo, near Te Awamutu, was found in the domain drive at 8.30 a.m. Extra police patrols were put out in the city and sightings of Kingi were reported by the dozen. Two detectives tracked the escaper to a house in Moehau street, but as they burst through the front door Kingi climbed out a back window ■ and disappeared into thick : bush in Grafton Gully. After another unsuccessful search for Kingi the main police party was called off just after noon in the hope of ; drawing the escaper out of the i bush.