Police Chase Ends With Arrest: Visitor To Coast

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 September 1949, Page 4

Police Chase Ends With Arrest: Visitor To Coast

Information that a wanted man was believed to be on his way to the West Coast produced a quick response from the district,police yesterday. Within a few minutes of the receipt of the information, the chase was on and it ended with an arrest in the Buller Gorge. The police inquiries led them to believe that the wanted man was on his way from Murchison to the West Coast after having allegedly committed a crime at Christchurch last week. Sergeant Bradley and Constable Hope left Reefton by motorcar and Sergeant Davis left Westport, also by car, to “close” the gorge road from the Westport end. The strategy proved successful as the wanted man was found riding in a motor lorry in the gorge. He was placed under arrest- immediately and taken to Reefton. In the Police Court at Reefton yesterday afternoon, before Mr T. H. Lee, J.P., Henry Edward Thomas Wakelin, alias J. Marshall, aged 35, a motor driver, was charged that, on August 24 at Christchurch, with intent to defraud, he obtained goods from a mercer’s shop by issuing a valueless cheque for £22. ’ On the application of the police, the accused was remanded in custody, to appear at Greymouth on Monday.