NOTORIOUS FUR THIEF TAKEN AT REVOLVER’S POINT BY POLICE
CAPTURED AFTER CLEVER ESCAPE PROM GAOL. After a dramatic escape from prison, the “king” of Berlin fur thieves has been captured at the revolver point. A robber named Roman Trezadka is known to have organised and carried out over 20 thefts in a few months, in which furs worth many thousands of pounds have been stolen. About two months ago, Trezadka was captured in the act cf robbing a fur store. Elaborate precautions wero taken to prevent his escape, while he was awaiting trial. On the way to the prison chapel one day, he found himself next to an old confederate, and he succeeded in persuading the authorities to permit him and his friend to occupy a double cell. By some means Trezadka obtained a file in exekango for two packets of tobacco. The two men cut through the iron bars across the cell and made a ladder by tying their bedclothes and weighting it with books which they had borrowed from the prison library. They dropped into the courtyard, but were then faced with a 20-foot wall. It was then that the weighted ladder came into operation. They swung it up until it caught in the spikes on the top of the wall; then over they went. The escape was discovered within 20 minutes, and dogs put on the track. Trezadka was not captured, but his companion was retaken. In a few days the master burglar was again busy robbing fur shops. The police watched for him day and night, and he was recognised in an eastern suburb. Tho detectives trailed him to a house in another suburb, which they watched until 11 o’clock at night. Making their way into a back room the police found six men and seven women celebrating a birthday at a table laden with champagne bottles. The detectives were armed with revolvers, and tho party were taken by surpriso. One woman w*lio was lioluiug a oaby in her arms pinched it to make it scroam, in the hope of distracting tho attention of tho police and a member of the party addressed as “Roman, a brother of the celebrated burglar who greatly resembled him. These ruses failed, and some of the police searched tho flat while others kept over tho champagne party. ' Roman Trezadka was not to be found, and tho police left, leaving some of their number in hiding near by. Half an hour later Roman, believing that all was clear, camo out, and was about to hail a passing taxi •when detectives appeared before him with revolvers. ...... It was learned later that tho thief had hidden under tho skirts of one of the women in tho Toom who was of a bulky build, and wore a Icing dress. Roman had a loaded revolver in each of his breast pockets, and £SO in notes was in his possession. The wholo party was arrested later, and many valuable furs were found hidden in the flat.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/MT19290223.2.14
Bibliographic details
Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6844, 23 February 1929, Page 4
Word Count
500NOTORIOUS FUR THIEF TAKEN AT REVOLVER’S POINT BY POLICE Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6844, 23 February 1929, Page 4
Using This Item
Stuff Ltd is the copyright owner for the Manawatu Times. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 New Zealand licence. This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of Stuff Ltd. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.