NEW SOUTH WALES COAL THIEVES

Evening Star, Issue 20996, 9 January 1932, Page 11

NEW SOUTH WALES COAL THIEVES

1 DETECTIVES' DRAMATIC EXPERIENCES RAIDERS RAIDED. Detectives investigating thefts of! coal from railway trucks had dramatic experiences in the Waratah and Islington districts. Detective-sergeant Sherringham, ; Railway Detectives Murdoch and Sanders, and Constables Sweeney, Harris,] and Monti were despatched to watch, the portion of . the line between the Waratah collieries and Newcastle, following complaints that trucks of coal were arriving at their destination short by many hundredweight. They spent weeks in the neighbourhood patrolling the roads, _ but their efforts to capture the thieves were frustrated by the close watch kept on, all the roads by scouts on motor cycles.. Time and again the police were baulked by the scouts, who kept every man on the roads between Islington and Waratah under observation. On Wednesday night the police determined on a bold move. They waited until the countryside was in darkness.. Then they followed little-used trails to within striking distance. When they, were about a quarter of a mile from the railway lines they heard the detonations, of motor cycle engines, and knew that ; the scouts were active. The detectives, lay flat on the ground and crawled | several hundred yards to a deep ditch J beside the lines. Several of them were. cut by broken bottles, and their hands were torn by. spiky plants. They had to cross the road to reach the railway..' The motor cycle with the scout passed; and disappeared round a corner. The, detectives jumped to their feet and ran ', across before the cyclist returned. They i crawled through the slush of the ditch' and crouched in the thick grass,, beside the permanent way. After a quarter of an hour’s wait a coal train rumbled past. The detectives’ vigil was rewarded. On one of the trucks a dozen men were desperately shovelling coal over the aide-| The police burst from ambush. The, men immediately jumped from the truck and separated. They could be heard running in all directions, and as they, had a good knowledge of the locality,] easily outdistanced their pursuers. _ In the darkiiess the : police and fugitives rah‘against each other several times,)' and Detective -Murdoch and Constable Sweeney emptied their revolvers over, 1 the heads of fleeing figures, but- no arrests ' were made. The -detectives, stumbled over • hidden objects, and several times slipped into the ditch be* side the railway. When they entered Waratah the detectives saw a light in a house/ ; It was about 3 a.m., so they, made an investigation. They found a man hiding in a shed, and arrested him.. Two other men j were: arrested in their beds-. Two houses j in Islington were, also visited, and two( other men were arrested. The five suspects were charged with stealing. , It is alleged that several trucks cap- _ able of carrying half a ton of coal were’ found. They were fitted with motor car. wheels, and were silent.