BANDITS!

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 20 July 1925, Page 2

BANDITS!

MELBOURNE AGAIN • LOVERS MOLESTED : ■■;';■• MELBOURNE. July 4. Masked and armed bandits again, made their appearance amongst the couples lovemaking on Yarra Bank and the nearby gardens last night. Herbert Charnock and Nellie Steeth reported to the St. Kilda Road Police Station shortly before 10 o'clock that they liad been held up and robbed by armed men.

No. 2 poliee motor patrol hurried to the scene and at the same time a wire less message sent out by the police -. station was picked up by the No. 1 patrol. Both cars arrived at the scene of the holdup at the same moment. No. 1 patrol, under Counstable Cornish, searched Alexandra Avenue, and No. 2 patrol dashed along Punt Road towards Anderson Street Bridge.

Near the Botanic. Gardens four men were seen in the shadows. Constable Gooden fired two shots at two fleeing forms. The suspects stopped, perspirjng and panting. Sloan and other police chased other fugitives through the shrubberies, hut they got away by scaling a high wire fence into the Botanic Gardens.

The police emerged from the chase with their hands bleeding and clothes 'badly torn by briar bushes in their headlong dash in the darkness.- Later -.the police found a dummy gun. piece pf black cloth, which might have been -used as a mask, a watch, and a wo:man's handbag.

A sequel to the happening was at jhe City Court to-day, when John ■Murpliy, IS), motor mechanic, and -Harold Sargent, 19, labourer, were charged with robbery under arms. They were remanded till July 10.