THIEVES SURPRISED

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 147, 7 June 1932, Page 9

THIEVES SURPRISED

ATTEMPT TO ENTER SHOP. MANAGER’S FORTUNATE ARRIVAL. Auckland, Juno 6. As they were atttempting to break into a grocery store in Coronation Road, Mangere, shortly after 9.3 q last evening, three young men were surprised by tho manager of the shop, who returned suddenly in his motor car. The men were able to leave the front doorway without raising suspicion, and had entered a motor car which was standing on the other side of the road before the manager discovered that an attempt had been made on tho door. The shop, that of W. J. Evans and Son, stands a short distance from the far end of Mangere Bridge in a fairly dark locality, although there is a street light on the other side of tho road about forty yards away. The manager, Mr Richard J. L. Evans, was returning to his home at Mangere from OneLunga by motor ear with his wile and child when he decided to visit the shop to obtain some order sheets which he had left on the premises. As the car drew near and commenced to stop he saw three young men standing in the doorway, appan.atl'y as if they were sheltering or waiting lor a motor bus. Mr Evans did not pay great attention to them, and when he commenced to alight from his car the men stepped out from tho entrance and began to cross the road. As there was a bus approaching from Mangere Mr Evans though they were going to board it, but they entered a motor car which was standing in darkness under a large tree and which he hud not previously noticed.

By this time Mr Evans had reached the door, where he found that the padlock was missing. Thinking he had forgotten to place it on the door, which is secured in addition by a patent lock, he entered the shop, but not seeing tho padlock lying on the counter, then realised that it had been in place and had been removed. He at once ran outside, only to see the car speeding toward the city. After a short search Mr Evans found the padlock lying near, while the edge, of the door bore marks near the lock where an effort had been made to force it. He immediately reported the matter to the Onehunga police.

It is thought possible that the young men wore using a stolen motor ear. Two cars were reported to the police as missing yesterday afternoon, but Mr Evans did not see the car used sufficiently well to give an adequate description of it.

Even had they not been interrupted, the men would probably not have been able to enter the shop. The premises have been forced four times previously, and after the last burglary the door was strengthened with heavy steel sheeting, while sheets of half-inch steel were bolted behind the lock and the lintel, and tho glass fanlight over the door was backed with two iron bars.