SENSATION AT WIRI.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20965, 31 August 1931, Page 11

SENSATION AT WIRI.

INTERRUPTED BURGLARY. fugitive fires revolver. ESCAPE IN A MOTOR-CAR. FOUR ARRESTS IN THE CITY. Three revolver shots were fired after the Wiri post office had been broken into early on Saturday morning and an attempt, to enter a general store in the same building had been made. The police believe the affair to have been a pretended hold-up designed to prevent detection.

The storekeeper, Mr. R. W. Wilson, was awakened at 12.30 a.m. by a buiglav alarm ringing in his residence, about 75yds. from the post office. Accompanied by his son, Mr. A. Wilson, he ran out on to the Great South Road and surprised three men who were outside the building. They jumped over a fence into a paddock and the storekeeper and his son followed them along the road.

A fivc-seater touring /notor-car was standing facing in the direction of Auckland about 50yds. on the city side of the post office. One man climbed the fence, and, approaching the vehicle, threatened the driver with a revolver. Mr. Wilson, sen., had reached the car by this time and was at the back of it taking a note of the number in spite of warnings from the armed man, when the latter turned to the driver, who was standing on the road, and fired three shots. Storekeeper Threatened. The driver of a motor-lorry had stopped a short distance away, and, at tho request of Mr. Wilson, jun., went on to communicate with the police. Ihe armed man again threatened Mr. R. W. Wilson and then entered the car and from the back seat ordered the motorist to get in. This he did, and the car was driven off toward Auckland. It is presumed that the other two men who had continued to run in the paddock were picked up further along the road. " The men had forced the door of the post office and evidently were attempting to enter the store when we were alarmed, said Mr. Wilson, sen., in describing the affair. "Articles were disturbed, but a bunch of keys is tho only thing missing. My son and I ran along the road with the intention of heading off tho three men, and, when I reached the car, my one idea was to see the number. The armed man called out, 'Hands up!' to me and then covered the driver with the command, 'Put your hands up and come and start this engine.'

" The driver got out and the shots were fired across the car. They seemed to me to go on both sides of the driver. It was after this that the driver cranked the engine and the armed man made his escape." Pretended Hold-up Theory. When the lorry-driver informed the Auckland police of the affair, Detective L. Wilson proceeded to the scene in a police car. Constable R. R. A. Archibald, of the Otahuhu station, was also despatched to Wiri. It was found that two padlocks had been broken off the door of the post office and jemmy marks were apparent on the door of the store. The most curious aspect of the case was the threatening of the driver, the police being of the view that the action of the armed man was a pretence. The attempt is regarded as particularly audacious. The post office is conspicuously situated at the corner oi the Great South Road and Wiri Station Road and there is a light immediately opposite. It was bright moonlight at the time. The shots were not heard by residents in the vicinity. An intensive inquiry was quickly organised by the Auckland detective staff on Saturday morning. Detective-Sergeant J. Bickerdike had charge of the case and Detectives T. Snedden, J. Nalder, J. Hunt and A. Packman also were engaged on the investigation.

Four men were arrested in different parts of the city and were in custody by the evening. They are to appear in the Police Court this morning on a charge of breaking and entering at Wiri with intent to commit a crime. One of the arrested men was interviewed at Point Chevalier and found to be in possession of a motor-car. A sevenchambered revolver was found in a dwelling at Waikowhai and it is alleged that four of the chambers only were loaded. Other inquiries are being made in connection with a quantity of stores seized by the police.