MASKED ROBBER

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 64, 9 December 1930, Page 12

MASKED ROBBER

Householder Stunned THEN TIED WITH ROPE Sum of Money Missing Dominion Special Service. Auckland, December 8. Under sensational circumstances the residence of Mr Mourin, at Mataraua, about five miles from Kaikohe, was forcibly entered on Saturday evening. Mrs. Mourin and her two sons were in Kaikohe, and Mr. Mourin was alone in the house. About nine o’clock Mr. Mourin heard a tap at the back door. He took no notice of it, but about two seconds later he heard a loud knock, and taking a benzine lamp he went to the door. On opening it widely so as to step on to the porch a man dressed in working clothes and with a handkerchief tied over his face stepped forward and struck him a blow with a hammer on the head, rendering him unconscious. It was some time before Mr. Mourin recovered consciousness, and when he did so he found his hands tied with rope, but not so securely as to prevent him loosening them. He heard the intruder ransacking the house, so he went to a shed and found a gun, but could find no ammuniMourin returned to the front of the house and the burglar, emerging at that moment, caught sight of him and re-entered the house. Mr Mourin walked about two miles for assistance, and when he and his companions returned the burglar had departed, taking with him between £-0 and £3O in cash. He had ransacked the house, smashing crockery and breaking open and considerably damaging several trunks which contained clothing, the contents being scattered in all directions. Mr. Mourin has apparently suffered no ill-effects from his expe 'ience..