TO CATCH THE CROOK

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6809, 12 January 1929, Page 5

TO CATCH THE CROOK

FOLICE RADIO OPERATORS HAVE POWERFUL SETS IN CARS. The way of the transgressor is proverbially hard, and since the invention of radio it has become a great deal harder than it was when communication was less good. Ever since wireless helped to catch Crippen, crooks have cursed Marconi; but it'is only of recent years that Tadio anywhere has been brought to the aid of the police so much as it has now in Australia. The first police patrol installation in Australia was carried out by Amalgamated Wireless (Australasia), Ltd., in .October, 1922, when a receiving set was fitted in a patrol car of the Victorian Police Department. A telephone transmitter was installed at the company’s radio station, Melbourne, and the excellent reception results obtained on the car and the success of the installation as an aid to the police in the prevention of crime and in capturing criminals was such that twelve months

later the department purchased two fast cars and had both of these fitted with wireless. The Victorian Police Department has recently installed transmitting sets on the patrol cars, in addition to receiving sets, in order that the members of the patrol cars can telegraph headquarters from tho car instead of having to leave the car and use the ordinary telephone for speaking to headquarters, as was the previous practice. The transmitter now installed at police headquarters, Russel street, for communication with the patrol cars, has a power unit of 2 k.w., and is used for the transmission of C.W., in addition to I.S.AV. The set has a very effective range, and daylight tests have been successfully intercepted as far away as Newcastle, N.5.W.—524 miles. The City Council power supply is utilised, but in case this fails, there is an emergency plant consisting of a 4 k.w. petrol engine A.G'. generator. The receiver ,at the head station, comnrises one stage of radio-frequency, amplification, detector, two resjstencecoupled audio-frequency amplifiers, and cue limiting valve. The normal aerial is 70ft. long, but for working through heavy induction

and static, an underground aerial fs used, consisting of 150 feet of cable buried a few inches beneath tho ground. The transmitters on the police patrol cars consist of single-valve, short-wave sets, using a voltage of 750 volts from a rotary transformer or dynamotor running off the car-starting battery. Tho chopper motor and the filaments are also fed from the car-starting battery. The range of the transmitter exceeds fifty miles. The sets give O.W. and I.C.W. transmission as required. Invincible Equipment.

The receivers on the petrol cars are of the very latest type ,and none of the wireless equipment on the cars is visible from the outside except the operator’s head-phones, which, however, arc usually concealed by his cap. The police headquarters transmitter and patrol car transmitters and receivers were manufactured in Australia. The equipment is operated by nine first-class certified operators, who have had wide experience with all sorts of wireless apparatus, and they are sworn policemen with a good knowledge of police patrol work. . The police patrol cars are continually

on the move, and. having two-way communication facilities, arc ready at a moment’s notice to answer a call of a member of the public for police assistlance. The average time taken to 1 answer calls is live minutes. Since the |employment of certified operators there j has never been an instance of delay or neglect in answering a call, nor has one message been missed by the receiving operator. On receipt of a telephone message the police headquarters are able to give instructions to the patrol by wireless. A few of many instances where wireless on the patrol cars has resultled in early action being taken by tho police are set out hereunder:— I In the early morning at St. Hilda, [No. 2 Patrol, learning that four men in a stolen car had left on their way to Richmond, w-irelessed No. 1 Patrol to keep a look-out fo. car No. with four men, which left St. Hilda twenty minutes ago for Richmond, t u which No. 1 Patrol replied, “Keeping watch.” The latter patrol a'few minutes later sent a message lo No. 2 Patrol by wireless: “Pour meu arrest; ed, car recovered.” Police headquarters sent a message to No. 2 Patrol at 2.30 a.m. at Pramran: “Six men creating disturbance iu

road, Caulfield. The patrol set off at high speed, and while travelling at over sixty miles an hour another message was received as follows: — “Mrs. reports that men have now broken a window of a house and stolen a car No . ” The patrol intercepted the men making away from tire scene, at- speed, recovered the cai, unci arrested the offenders. At 2.10 on a certain morning Head Station sent a wireless message to No, 2 Patrol: “Malvern police report two men broke into a garage and stole car No. . One man arrested, but one i escaped in car.’ The patrol hastened j to and searched the district, located : the car, and gave chase, eventually cup- | taring the car and arresting the thief.” Car Found Before Lost.

At 11.30 on another evening Head Station wirelessed all patrol cars the number and description of a stolen car. At about 4 a.m. No. 2 Patrol intercepted the stolen car going with three men travelling at speed through Albert Park. After a stern chase at sixty miles, an hour, the three men jumped from the car, which, left uncontrolled, smashed through a fence. The three men were arrested, and the proceeds of an hotel robbery were found in tho car. The owner of the hotel was unaware that his premises had. been broken into until advised by the police patrol. Many other instances could be quoted, but the above are sufficient t« show the great value of wireless in police work.