DARING YACHT THIEVES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18087, 11 May 1922, Page 6

DARING YACHT THIEVES.

RAATA SIGHTED AT SEA.

SAILING TOWARD TONGA.

THREE' MEN SEEN ABOARD.

WIRELESS TO WARSHIPS.

Dramatic developments have followed upon the theft of the auxiliary yacht Raata from her anchorage off the Nelßon Wharf on the night of Wednesday, May 3, and the sequel yet remains to be told. The missing vessel has been sighted at sea by an incoming steamer, identified, and left to pursue her voyage in the direction of the South Sea Islands. The facts so far known constitute a story of piracy as daring and hazardous as any in the criminal annals of the Dominion. The owner of the yacht, Mr. William Standish, had intended visiting the Great Barrier for a holiday, and, aB he contemplated being away for several wekes, ho had taken aboard an ample supply of provisions and a good stock cf benzine. It would appear to be practically certain that this fact was known to the thief. At all events when the little craft disappeared from her moorings she contained sufficient provender, and fuel for the auxiliary engines, for an extended cruise. Once the police were apprised of what had happened investigations were set afoot. with the result that it was not long before a clue to the crime was forthcoming. On the day after the stealing of the I yacht, namely, on Thursday, May 4, a store at Mercury Bay, or Whitianga, ss it is known to seafaring folk, situated oa the Coromandel coast, was broken into during the early hours of the morning and some clothing, provisions, and tobacco stolen. It was reported at Ihe time teat the thievea got away from Whitianga in a launch, a description which, might be accounted for by the fact that the Raata is an auxiliary yacht, and probably put oat from the little coastal port under hw power. Police Throw a Net Around the Culprits. One significant fact connected the robbery at the store with the major crime of the theft of the yacht. On board the latter were some pairs of rubber sea-boots. The tracks left by the unauthorised visitors to tho seaside store on their way back to the Whitianga Wharf were made by just such boots. The cmlprits in each case are therefore adjudged to be the Investigations in other directions have led the police to believe that the yacht was in the first place purloined by one individual, and that he was later joined m his adventure bv two others, although at the outset suspicion pointed in one direction onlv. In order to throw a net around the venturesome thieves the police sent out telegraphic messages to all the ports in the province and to the various lighthouses, instructing ali the recipients to be on the look-out for the Raata and her self-appointed crew. They also issued wireless messages to vessels at sea containing a description of the missing yacht, and stating that it was surmised she was making for the South Sea Islands.

Wainm* Passes Yacht on Monday. Among those who received this wireless message was the captain of the Union Company's steamer Waarnna, which arrived "in Auckland from San Francisco on Tuesday night. He and his officers reported to the police yesterday that at mid-dav on Monday they had sighted a vacht answering to the description of toe lUata. That was in &gg 58min. south, longitude v. 178 *««» 2min. east, or 286 miks north-east of Auckland, and some,l2o miles off the N'ew Zealand coast. This wjald be about midway between Auckland and the Kermadacs. . , When the vacht was sighted from the steamer the letter's course *as altered to enable her to approach near enough to the small craft to give, those on board an opportunity to signal to the steamer « they so desired, and also for the purpose of closer investigation. A fresa northwesterly wind was blowing at the time and the vacht, which the Wairuna's captain described as schooner rigged, was running free with reefed sails. Three men, dressed in blue suits, could be discerned in the cockpit of the bttla craft from the deck of the steamer. They made no sign, nor any signal, and, since the Wairuna's captain had no authority to intervene, h? resumed his course and came on to Auckland. As, for the adventurers on the yacht they proceeded likewise upon their voyage, whether to Tonga or to the Kermadecs to take in a further supply of stores, can only be surmised at this juncture. The intrepid nature of their escapade may be judged from the fact that the Raata is a comparatively i small vessel, 40ft in length by 7ft. beam, i with a draught of only oft. She ss : . I however, reported to be a good sea boat.

Warrant oi Arrest Issued. A warrant has now been issued for the arrest of the principal party believed to be implicated in the theft of the yacht. Furthermore the police have communicated by wireless with the captains of H.M.S. 'Chatham and Veronica, which are both en route to Suva, requesting them to pick up '.he yacht and her occupants jif she is seen by the warships. The TonI gan Government has <dso been communicated with and asked to arrest any boat arriving there without a clearance. from Auckland. It is accordingly anticipated that those concerned in the affair will be apprehended at an eariy date. The Whitianga correspondent of the Herald, in a message published on Monday, stated:—On Thursday night an entry was made into Jackman's general store at Whitianga and goods valued at over £80 were stolen. Mr. Meikle, manager of the business, discovered late in the evening that a front window had been broken. Thinking that it had been done accidentally, he boarded it up. The next morning it was still boarded, but he found that, holes had been made through the floor, and, apparently, the burglars, finding this too slow, had removed a window at the rear of tho premises. Clothing, boot*, provisions, and tobacco m large quantities had disappeared, the burghr? even stealing ink pencils and salts. Apparently tho goods had been taken away by launch, as the store is on the waterfront, and there were tracks of wet gum boots. A burglar's jemmy was left behind. Constable Kirby, in a launch, yesterday searched the coast as far as Tairui and also the estuary, but so far nothing has been discovered.