SENSATIONAL ARREST

Northern Advocate, 31 July 1934, Page 6

SENSATIONAL ARREST

BURGLAR ON ROOF ARMED WITH REVOLVER. GELIGNITE IN POCKET. CIVILIANS AID POLICE. (Special to “Northern Advocate.”) AUCKLAND, This Day. After a sharp struggle a burglar, who was armed with a. revolver and threatened to use it, was overpowered by a detective and a young man on the roof of St.'James’ Theatre shortly after f) o’clock last night.

Two civilians, Mr .1. Jurie, who is employed at the shop of the Oceanic Fish Company in Queen Street, and Mr M. Facoory, the boxing trainer, aided the police in the apprehension of the armed man.

Mr Facoory was in the fish shop with Mr Jurie, and? on going into the backyard, saw the figure of a man on the roof of a 'building. He called to him to come down, but the man replied that he was a detective, giving the actual name of <a member of the Auckland detective staff. Mr Facoory was suspicious and telephoned to the Detective Office. The call was answered by the detective whose name had been given by the man on the roof. Two detectives were quickly on the scone, but meanwhile Mr Facoory had been watching the man on the I’oof, taking care that he himself could not be observed. He saw a man, of small stature, keeping in the shadows and dodging behind chimney pots while he made his way over the roof tops to the roof of the fit. James’ Theatre. Shooting Threat,

Detective Whiteh ad, accompanied by Mr .Turie, decided to follow the man i on to the roof, leaving the other officer and Mr Facoory below to keep watch. They gained access to the roof and made their way over to the top of the ’ theatre. Here the man turned and faced them with a revolver in his hand. He warned them that if they came a step nearer he would fire. Mr Jurie darted forward, grasped the man’s wrist and after a sharp struggle wrenched the revolver from him. The man struck out, but Mr Jurie, who is a trained boxer, delivered a knockout blow, and the man collapsed. Almost at the same time Mr Jurie accidentally pulled the trigger of the revolver and a. shot was fired, the bullet flying wild. A subsequent search of. the man’s pockets revealed that he was in possession of a quantity of gelignite and detonators and other articles. The man, who subsequently recovered consciousness, was taken to the police station. Mr Jurie figured in a similar encounter a short time ago. * Ho surprised a man who was attempting to rob the till in his fish, shop and handed him over to the police. ACCUSED IN COURT LEFT EYE BLACKENED DEMAND CHANTED (Special to "Northern Advocate.”) AUCKLAND, This Day. Colin William Class, aged 21, a labourer, appeared In the Police Court today, with a closed and blackened loft eye, to answer a charge of stealing jewellery worth £3 11/- from a dwelling at 340 Queen Street, last night. Tic was remanded until August 7,* The charge followed the sensational chase shortly after 9 o’clock last night, over roof tops in the vicinity of St. James’ Theatre.