CAT BURGLAR'S RECORD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19957, 28 May 1928, Page 10

CAT BURGLAR'S RECORD.

INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL. VISIT TO NEW ZEALAND. ROBBERY AT AUCKLAND HOTEL. A cablegram from London published on Saturday with reference to the absconding of tha original "cat burglar," George Enright, alias Georgo McCraig, recalls that this international criminal once paid an unprofitable visit to Auckland. According to the cable message Enright vanished while on bail. The police record indicated that ho had served sentences in England and America, dating from a conviction in San Francisco in 1919 under the name of Cyril G. Pegg. Enright's criminal career began earlier than the London records show, and his face is m the "rogues' gallery" in Auckland. On January 3, 1917, there was a mild panic in a hotel in the city when it was discovered that a thief had mado a systematic overhaul of a number of bedrooms during the night. Some valuable jewellery was among the missing property. Chief-Detective Hammond, at that time a detective on the Auckland staff, examined the hotel register and decided to investigate the movements of a man booked under the name of Enright. It was found that Enright had vanished before breakfast, and had not slept in his bed. All outlets from the city were watched with the assistance of one of the hotel staff, but Enright did not take part in the holiday exodus. Mr. Hammond checked over the crew of vessels in port and asked to see a steward named Pegg who was sleeping. The chief steward turned his men out ostensibly for duty and Pegg and Enright proved to be the one man. With the exception of a valuable ring, all the missing jewellery was recovered. When Enright appeared for sentence in the Supremo Court the Judge suspended pronouncement pending production of the ring. Enright indicated a stick of shaving soap among his effects and revealed the ring embedded beneath the tinfoil wrapper. serving 18 months in prison Enright left the Dominion on an overseas vessel, the post having been secured for him by a detective, who deetned it the best way of removing a clover parasite.