ESCAPED PRISONER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21131, 14 March 1932, Page 10

ESCAPED PRISONER.

(BENNETT STILL AT LARGE. BELIEVED NEAR TE KUITI. JOURNEYS BY MOTOR-CAR. SUSPECTED OF BURGLARIES. The escaped prisoner Charles Bennett, who with another man broke away from the Hautu prison camp on February 21, is now believed to be in the Te Kuiti dis--1 trict. During the week end a number of burglaries have taken place in the district between Awakino and Te Kui.i, in two cases the intruder having taken a meal in grocery shops. It is believed by the police that Bennett was responsible. On Friday it was known that Bennett was near Awakino and between 11 p.m. on Friday and 6 a.m. the following day a motor-car was removed from the garage of Mr. J. H. Richards, of Awakino 'I he car contained seven gallons of benzine and an additional eight gallons were taken by'the thief in cans. About 3 a.r:. on Saturday the storo ot Mr. W. «f. RAvery, at Mahoenui, between Awakino and Te Kuiti, was entered, and a quantity of foodstuffs, two electric torches and two wristlet watches were taken. The thief helped himself to a meal of slieeps' tongues, bread and butter, and then went to Mr. Avery's garage. He was not able to force the lock and enter, but broke a padlock on a workshop adjoining, entered, and climbed over a partition into the garage. After he had opened the doors the intruder commenced to push Mr. Avery's car out, but one wheel jammed against the door. The garage adjoins the house and Mr., Avery was awakened. lie did not see anyone, but found his cai halfWay- out of the garage. Te Kuiti Shops Entered. On Saturday morning a man resembling Bennett was seen by settlers near I'iopio, while Mr. Richards' car was found abandoned in the afternoon in a quairy about one mile outside Piopio on the main highway to Awakino and New Plymouth. The, vehicle was not damaged. Yesterday morning it was found that two shops in Te Kuiti had been broken into during the night. Between 14 and £5 was taken from the till in the shop of Mr. A. D. McLennan, in Rora Street, while the Diamond Stores, a grocery establishment next door, was entered and 500 cigarettes were stolen. The intruder took a meal of sardines and biscuits. Attempts were made the same night to enter two other grocery shops in tho same fitreet and two drapery shops. It was apparent that efforts had been made to prise the front doors open, while in onu shop a pane of glass was knocked out in an.attempt to open the lock from the inside. All the shops were in the same street. Three Weeks of Liberty. Bennett escaped from the prison camp three weeks ago with a prisoner named Edgar William Allen. Shortly after their escape a car was missed at Turangi, two miles from Hautu, and was later recovered at Okahukura. A second cir was taken at Ongarue shortly afterwaid and recovered at Otorohanga, where another car, which was later found at Wanganui, was missed. A car stolen at Wanganui was recovered at Lower Hutt. 'Shortly after its recovery a fifth car was stolen at Silverstream, it being found it Palmerston North. A car which had been taken from Palmerston North vas recovered at Wanganui. where Allen was rearrested, Bennett evading the police. At that time Bennett was believed to have covered 700 miles, and since then he is suspected to have taken two mo r e cars to travel from Wanganui to Te Kuiti.