SMART ARREST

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 148, 19 December 1929, Page 10

SMART ARREST

YOUNG CONSTABLE'S

WORK

RUMOURED CONFESSION

(By Telegraph.) (Special to "The Evening Post.")

CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. It is stated that two young menJames Wilfred Gray, aged 19, and Charles Robert Grey, aged 17—who were jointly charged in the Magistrate's Court with breaking and entering the shop of J. J. Brookes, 188, Manchester street, with intent to commit a crime, have admitted many acts of breaking and entering, theft, and incendiarism, the disastrous fire at the petrol bond of D. H. Brown and Sons, Ltd., the Sydenham Bowline Club pavilion fire, the fire at the home of the Mayor (the Rev. J. K. Archer), the fire at the furniture store of J. M. Heywood and Co., the fire at the warehouse of .Bing, Harris, and Co To Constable Albert Gillum, a young officer only recently from the police training school, the credit of the capture is due. It was stated by a prominent officer that he showed courage, intelligence, and determination, and effected a singularly smart capture. Constable Gillum, it was stated, was on his beat at about 2 o 'clock yesterday morning, when he noticed a man standing in the shadow of the Civic "Theatre, Manchester street. His suspicions aroused, he hid in a doorway on the opposite side of the road and kept watch. Soon the man moved out of the shadow, and the watching officer saw that he carried something in his hands which looked like a gun. He then noticed another man standing in the right-of-way interfering with a back window of Mr. J. J. Brookes's boot shop, which is on the opposite side of the right-of-way to the Civic Theatre. His problem now was to get close to the men without making his presence known, and thus scaring the suspects away.

It was here" that luck helped him. The man with the weapon, who was evidently keeping guard, moved off down the street to see, it is supposed, if anyone was coming. Constable Gillum then acted quickly. Crossing the street without the guard seeing him, he came suddenly on the man in the right-of-way and had him handcuffed before he recovered from his surprise. • He then awaited the return of the second man. Here great caution was necessary, as the man was armed. Patiently he waited in the right-of-way until the footsteps of the other man could be heard. He then stepped out suddenly and confronted him. Like his confederate, the man was taken by surprise, and gave in quietly. It was lucky he did not become troublesome, as the weapon he bore was a sawn-off .44 calibre rifle.

Constable Gillum nad no difficulty in getting them to the police station, where they were formally charged.