MISSING SPEED LAUNCH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20383, 11 October 1929, Page 12

MISSING SPEED LAUNCH.

REMOVAL from moorings.

BOAT-SHEDS BROKEN INTO.

QUANTITY OF BENZINE TAKEN.

Search is being conducted for a valuable speed launch, Baby Lu, owned by Mr. W. A. Boucher, managing director of Spedding, Limited, which it is believed was removed from its moorings in Mechanics' Bay on Tuesday evening. The loss of the boat was not known to the owner until yesterday morning, when investigations were made concerning the breaking into of two boatsheds and the theft of a quantity of benzine. The inquiries led to the discovery of a youth in one of the other launches moored in the bay. Yesterday morning Mr. Boucher was summoned by telephone to the boatsheds by Mr. A. Mackenzie, who is employed by Mr. R. D. Rodgers, of Parnellj a coowner with Mr. Boucher in shed No. 1. It was found that the shed had been entered and a quantity of benzine removed, Shed No. 13, owned by the Rev. Jasper Calder, had also been broken into and a spirit stove and some tools removed. In the latter shed, a stout locker which contained the tools plainly showed the marks of a jemmy. It was noticed that a dinghy owned by Mr. Boucher was attached to the rear of another launch, owned by Mr. W. J. Bridson.' Mr. Mackenzie rowed out to recover the dinghy and found the launch occupied by a youth, who had with him a loaded pea-rifle and two shot-guns, and three sheath-knives in his belt. The launch showed evident signs of having been camped in. The last seen of the Baby Lu was on Tuesday evening, when according to a seaman employed on the barque Rewa, two men rowed out to her and climbed on board. He noticed that the launch was not at its moorings in the morning. The Baby Lu is a runabout launch about 26ft. in length. Her hull is painted white, and she has a glassed-in sedan-top painted green. The launch was purchased by her present owner two years ago. Notification of the disappearance has been furnished to all police stations up and down the east coast, and a description of the missing boat was broadcast. The disappearance of the launch and the thefts from the sheds calls attention to representations which have been made by launch and yacht-owners for a larger measure of police protection on the waterfront. It is stated that many thefts have occurred. On Tuesday evening No. 1 shed was forced open, but nothing was removed.