WATCHING PARKED CARS

Evening Star, Issue 19519, 29 March 1927, Page 10

WATCHING PARKED CARS

MOTORISTS ALARMED JOY RIDE GERM SPREADS [Special to the ‘ Star.’] CHRIisTCHURCH, March 23 Car thefts are far too numerous, and if police and City Council officials fail to afford the necessary protection which it is the right of motorists to expect some other means of protecting citizens’ property must bo found, city motorists declare. Hut Chi istchurch is not the only city where motor cars disappear. Six were stolen in Auckland on Saturday, and it is the same in all the cities. Thefts are being reported daily, and motorists are booming indignant Suggestions have been-made by city men that men should bo authorised to look after cars at the parking places at, say, Is a car ft has been said that manv returned soldiers would bo glad ot tfio opportunity to secure such employment. If a man incapacitated from manual work were to look after twenty cars at Is per night he would receive £1 for his evening’s work. ‘‘Something will have to be clone,” said ono motoiist to-day. ‘‘Things can’t go on as they are going. Our property must be protected I lor one am prepared to pay lor that protection, I realise that the police can’t bo everywhere—no one will dispute that; but there will have to be a change.” Investigations have revealed that there are at times almost 1(K) cars parked in Gloucester street alone, and between Colombo street and Rollcston avenue ninety cars. Taking their value at £3O( each, this represents property worth £27,000. That property is wdrth safeguarding, the mntoiists hold. They point cut that if joy riders were aware that tho car- were under constant supervision it might act as a damper on their enterprising spirits