A POLITE THIEF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19008, 4 May 1925, Page 10

A POLITE THIEF.

THANKS TO HIS VICTIMS. POLICE MAKE AN ARREST. For nearly a fortnight the depredations of a thief, whose impudent practice of leaving notes of thanks behind him added to the. chagrin of those who suffered by his thefts, have mystified the Sydney police. The niftti apparently confined his. attention to engineering firms in one street, and invariably entered the premises through the roof, making a careful selection of expensive engineering tools and appliances. lie had a habit of leaving notes behind him. On one occasion he left, a note thanking the (inn, and adding: "1 will soon have a nice kit of tools together. ' In big block letters he signed himself melodramatically as the. "Apache." The police were given instructions to keep a sharp look-out for the thief, and special men were detailed to keep premises in the street under observation, but, still the man eluded capture. It was found, however, that, some of the tools had been pawned in the city and suburbs, and the brokers who had accepted the pledges were questioned closely as to the description of their client. These descriptions were pieced together, and a fairly good description of the offender was obtained. This was circulated among the member's of the police force, and as a result a man was arrested on suspicion. It is understood that the police have secured about C6O worth of engineering tools from pawnbrokers in the city and suburbs.