SUSPECTED THIEF

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 March 1930, Page 10

SUSPECTED THIEF

SHOT BY THE POLICE

SYDNEY, March IS. in Th! w*”* l n 1 SS M • - soon by tire oeoupunt ot a room in a hotel to break the glass in the J Af Mr NM. Bastow’s refresh- ‘ 'ho" S 3 Liverpool Street, city. Tho thief clambered through the broken portion of the door, and reappeared n few minutes later carrying a bulky parcel The man who witnessed the robbery informed the police Giat the thief was of slight stature and w°s dressed in a grey suit. Aftei leaiin"- the shop, he had walked unconcernedly along Liverpool Street, towards George Street, and rtisappearThe police wireless patrols, in charge of Inspector Robson, commenced a search. Ono patrol, consisting of Constables Silcock, Payne, Mclntosh, and Hile, concentrated on the eastern section of the city. Constable Payne left the car in Elizabeth Street and walked through Hyde Park, while the others patrolled the outskirts of the park. While scouring the park, Constable Payne recognised a man who was wanted on suspicion in connection with a recent assault case, and the suspect took to his heels. Payne chased the man for about 300 yards, but lie escaped. Out of breath, Payne walked from the park across College Street and around tho bowling green into Haig Avenue. As lie reached this narrow thoroughfare a tram stopped, and a slight man, dressed in a grey suit and carrying a paper parcel, walked from tho footpath towards it. Payne ran towards the suspect, who turned, and, seeing tho constable, dropped his parcel and ran away.

Payne, who at one time was a fast amateur runner, was gaining ground when ho slipped and fell, badly injuring his right knee and hand. When ho regained his feet ho saw that the fugitive had acquired a good start. Owing to the injury to his knee he was unable to run quickly, so he drew his revolver.

“Stop, or I’ll fire,” he shouted to the fleeing man, but the warning went unheeded. He then fired a shot into the air over the suspect’s head. Then, as the man showed no sign of slackening speed, he fired at his legs. The man fell to the ground, and tho constable quickly reached him. Attracted by the shots, a crowd of people, some of whom had left the tram to watch the exciting chase, gathered around the constable, and his wounded prisoner.

Other members of the wureless patrol arrived, and a message was sent to the Central District Ambulance. The wounded man was conveyed to Sydney Hospital, where it w r as found that tile bullet had entered his back, on the left side, and was protruding from the flesh above his ribs. It. appeared that the bullet had been deflected by the ribs, and the sole extent of the man’s injury was a severe flesh wound. He wras admitted to the hospital. His condition is not regarded as serious, but a careful watch is being kept to prevent complications. The parcel which the suspect dropped when the chase commenced was found to contain a cooked ham and a supply of tobacco. fl'hese, it is alleged, were stolen from Mr. Bastow’s Shop. The wounded man, -who gave his name as Patrick Joseph Clemenger, 30, a cook, of Cathedral Street, city, is under police guard in the hospital. Constable Payne, a plainclothes officer, was treated at the hospital for extensive abrasions to the right knee and hand.