ESCAPE FROM LOCK-UP

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 December 1940, Page 12

ESCAPE FROM LOCK-UP

“THRILLS” AT PAEKAKARIKI. [per press association.] WELLINGTON, December 11. The story of a thief’s return to' the vicinity of his crime, and his capture by civilians, after a chase, and subsequent escape from an unlocked cell at Paekakariki, was told in the Magistrate’s Court, when Roy: James Whelan, 30, pleaded guilty to theft and escaping from lawful custody. On looking out from the front window of his house at Pukerua Bay, said Arthur Kitchener Lindsay, storekeeper, he saw accused with a roll of electric flex under his arm. Witness went outside and approach-’ ed Whelan, as he was walking away with the flex, and as soon as accused saw him, he dropped the flex and ran. Witness gave chase but lost accused in the scrub. He found other articles dropped by accused while being chased. That evening, he was seen near the place again, and was caught by civilians, and handed over to the police. Constable Peters said that he took the accused to Paekakariki, where he placed him in a lock-up cell. The door was closed on him, and the outside door secured. About 9 p.m., he found accused had escaped, by breaking a window above the outside door. Counsel asked if accused had not complained of being hungry and thirsty, and witness admitted he wanted some food and water. Counsel: But none was given him while he was actually in the cell? Witness: Not at that time, but had he stopped there he would certainly have got it. Witness said there was no lock on the cell door. The bolt was just pushed in. Whelan put a hand through the peephole and slid the lock back. That was an easy matter. Accused, who was rearrested in Wellington, was committed by Mr. Stout to the Supreme Court, for sentence.