CRIMINAL’S PLANE

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 163, 7 April 1934, Page 18

CRIMINAL’S PLANE

Flew To Avoid Arrest

The fact that ho once chartered an aeroplane to avoid arrest was revealed at Exeter Assizes when Derek Grey, aged 29, a signwriter, pleaded guilty to nine charges of forging and utteiing Post Office saving bank books, and obtaining money thereby. The proseeution alleged that Grey was wanted all over the country for forgery. He admitted 124 similar offences, and was sentenced to 21 months’ hard labour. Mr. Patrick Devlin, who prosecuted, said Grey’s method was to open a savings bank account, write in additional deposits and then make fraudulent withdrawals. It was not a new type of swindle, but had never before been practised on such an extensive scale.. Counsel continued: “He finished his last sentence on October • last, and shortly afterwards began operating in the London area, where lie made fraudulent withdrawals. frauds were traced to him in I'Olkestone. Tunbridge Wells and Exeter. He left Exeter on November 23 for Bristol. where he hired a taxicab, gave the driver a list, of post offices and told him to drive to them all. He opened 18 accounts, and the following day began to go around collecting the fruits of his work. At the fifth post office be realised that he was suspected, and left hurriedly, chartered an aeroplane and Hew to Cardiff. He made one withdrawal there, and the same day went to Worcester, where be made 18 withdrawals. “On the following day he was in Bir mingham. but his description had been circulated, and at the first post office he visited the postmaster suspected him. Efforts were made to detain him in conversation, but he escaped before the police arrived. He was traced to the railway station, where he boarded a London train. Police were waiting for him at Euston, but he got out at Coventry and gave them the slip. “Then he lay low- for a little while, but appeared again in London, and in December went, to Plymouth and operated there, and nt Torquay, Paignton and the surrounding districts. I'inally, on December 19, he was recognised by a detective in a Plymouth street, and arrested.” A Dangerous Criminal. Superintendent W. T. Hutchings said between the third week of December 19 Grey obtained £li4 M these forgeries. He was first, convicted in 1918 for theft and had served three years’ penal servitude for office break“He is a dangerous criminal,” the superintendent added. “On one occasion he shot at a police officer, but. the revolver was ineffective. On another occasion he struck a police officer with a jemmy. In this case lie used violence in endeavouring to resist arrest.’ Grey said lie intended to go straight when he was released from Wandsworth in October. "While I was in prison I invented a new idea for engraving.” he added, “and my father and mv fiancee’s father were R°mß 10 set me up in business. But a fellow convict, whom I befriended after bis release robbed me of the money I had been given to start business. I began the forgeries in an effort to replace th? money which was stolen from me.