DANGEROUS GANG BROKEN UP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12663, 17 September 1904, Page 2 (Supplement)

DANGEROUS GANG BROKEN UP.

One of the most dangerous gangs of thieves that has ever infested the East End w London has been broken up by the energy - of detectives. '', Robberies from the person at the rate - ; three a day in the streets of Hackney, Shoreditch, and Bsthnal Green were reported e>, the police for a period of nearly two months, and then, after adopting various iisguises, the officers mentioned managed to •..;•-."* six men. These were Edward Wall' J (24), Charles Ewin (25). William Peiie (If,, William Warner (18), Thomas DriscoU \W, and George Riley (21). They were all taken In Kots of robbery, and at the C'erkenwell Sessions were given sentences varying frwr three Tears' penal servitude, in the case <sl Wakeman, to 15 months' hard labour in tw case of Riley. , , In Court Detective-Sergeant Erogden aescribed the methods of the gang, twcjtf whom would keep watch while the others pounced upon elderly men and ladies -■■ robbed them of their purses, watches, bags, ' ; and other valuables. The total value of.tM , articles stolen by the ; gang ran; into many hundreds of pounds. In one instance tiiej got badly sold. They watched a lady wn° was carrying a bag into a hank, presnnufl - that she had' gon-it to draw money. Directly she came out the hag was snatched era ner, and the thieves made off. When t!n©J. t opened the bag they found that it only contained a pass and cheque-book. Had _ tot. snatched the bag as the lady entered '"■ bank they would have secured £250 in pi? The judge and the grand and petty, ■ warmly commended the officers for breakup up "a most formidable gang of thieve*-.