BURGLAR'S ACTIVITIES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21449, 24 March 1933, Page 8

BURGLAR'S ACTIVITIES

FOUR HOUSES * VISITED INTRUDER'S NARROW ESCAPE Four residences at Devonport, all within a comparatively short distance of each other, were visited by a burglar between the hours of 1.30 a.m. and 4.30 a.m. yesterday. In each case the man was noticed. He escaped, and committed thefts, involving a sum of £1 19s 3d, at only two of the houses. The intruder, who is stated to have been barefooted and to have worn a skull cap, made his first appearance at the residence of Mr. A. G. Harvey, 43 Clarence Street. He was seen at the window of a bedroom by Mrs. Harvey, who gave the alarm. The man carried a torch, which he flashed into another room, but he disappeared before he could be caught. The next intrusion was at the residence of Mrs. F. E. Watts, at 27 Kerr Street. The man was detected, and he ran away when the electric light was switched on in the house. The man had entered the dwelling, but he fell over a chair. The first theft was committed on the man's third appearance, which was at the house of Mr. S. Wrigley, 18 Calliope Road, at 4 a.m. The sum of 12s 3d was stolen from Mr. Wrigley's clothing. Mr. Wrigley. saw the man near his bedroom door, and chased him out the back door of the house. The man managed to escape in the darkness.

In spite of his narrow escape, the man appeared in the house of Mr. A. James, 32 Calliope Road, within half-an-hour, and stole £1 7s from a bedroom. He was again pursued, but escaped. At each house he entered the man came in through unlocked back doors.

Inquiries were made by the police throughout yesterday and last evening.