SMART WORK

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 12 June 1929, Page 4

SMART WORK

ALLEGED BURGLAR ARRESTED FOUND TO BE AN PRISONER Further details in connection with the arrest of Darrel H. Barnaby, who was remanded at the Magistrate's Court this morning on a charge of burglary at Montgomery's garage, form an interesting story of how the local police force, aided by observant citizens, promptly and cleverly connected a series of circumstances and recaptured a man whom the police authorities of Auckland have ■been eagerly awaiting a chance to renew acquaintance with. The first item was the attention of the nightwatchman at Montgomery's garage being attracted late on Monday evening bv a loiterer in the vicinity wearing an oilskin coat. On Tuesday'morning it was discovered that a burglary had occurred in the garage, and Detective Sinclair, a recent arrival in Nelson from Auckland, was telephoned for. On arrival the detective obtained finger prints made by the burglar, and during the inquiries ga,ve an opinion that, the culprit was identical wTth a man who had been "busy" recently in an outlying district. While on- a recent visit to Takaka a local cycle dealer had heard of offences that had occurred, and that suspicion was resting on an individual who bad expressed the intention of securing a motor cycle. Upon the dealer's return he warned his partner not to make a sale to the suspected person, and was told that he was nn hour too late. A motor bike had been sold on Monday morning to a purchaser answering the description, given. Cash and a push bike had been the medium of exchange. A ring on the 'phone to the police followed, and the make and number of the cycle were given.

While Detective Sinclair was in conference at the garage a ring came from Constable Berthelsen at Port Nelson that a suspicious-looking man had entered the Customhouse Hotel. .

Upon this Montgomery's service manager (Mr-Muir McLaren) jumped into a car and proceeded with the detective tr> the hotel, where the latter entered and found the "suspect" was not the pei'son wanted. Just at this time Mr McLaren noticed a motor cycle go past, and caught sight of the number, "2246." He also saw that the rider answered the description of the man "wanted." He gave the alarm and Detective Sinclair and Constable Berthelsen jumped into the car which' sped in pursuit so rapidly that the motor cyclist was headed off at Tahunanui in the,vicinity of The Hut. To the detective's astonishment he recognised that he had recaptured a much-sought-after prison-breaker from Auckland.