ATTEMPTED ROBBERY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21473, 22 April 1933, Page 12

ATTEMPTED ROBBERY

TAXI DRIVER HELD UP

INCIDENT IN LONELY SPOT ASSAILANTS DISAPPOINTED [BY TELEGRAPH OWN COIUtESPOX DENT] DUNEDIN, Friday The latest development in an epidemic of serious crime in the Dunedin district was tho hold-up of a taxidriver in a lonely road off tho main road from Wakari to North Taieri last evening. Having engaged Mr. Thomas Hyde to take them to Wakari, two young men held him up at the point of what appeared to be a revolver and demanded his money. When one of the men was searching Mr. Hyde's overcoat pocket the driver struck out and the men disappeared in tho darkness. Mr. Hyde was on the railway station rank about 7.40 o'clock when two young men engaged him to drive them to about a mile past Bunting's store at Wakari. Both men got into tho back seat and Mr. Hyde drove out to Wakari. When tho taxi was about half a mile past the store tho young men asked the driver to turn down tho first road on the right. After ho had driven for 200 yards or 300 yards down the road ho was asked to stop. Botli men left the car and opened tho front door on tho off side. "Put them up and get out," said one of the men, and an object which appeared to be a revolver was thrust toward Mr. Hyde, who had no option but to obey. As lie stepped out of tho car and moved toward tho men he was peremptorily ordered by tho man holding tho "gun" to "put them right up or I'll plug you."

On this dark and lonely road, Mr. Hyde was compelled to admit himself beaten for the minute, and when one man ordered the other to search the driver, Mr. Hyde raised no opposition. He realised that it would have been futile. Ho stood with his back to the car with his arms upstretclied. The searcher stood between Mr. Hyde and tho holder of tho gun, and, seizing a chance when the searcher thrust his hand into his overcoat pocket and seized a box of matches, Mr. Hyde acted promptly. He struck out.

"The man was between his mate with the gun and me, and if a shot was fired I knew that it would hit the man who was searching me," Mr. Hyde said afterwards. The man who was struck reeled back under the force of the blow. Tho unexpected attack by their intended victim took away tho confidence and daring of tho men, who, taking to .their heels, sprinted away in the darkness toward the main road.

A quick return was made to the city by Mr. Hyde and a little later a squad of police was in the Wakari district. A wide area was searched without success. About £6 was in Mr. Hypo's pockets when he was held up, but he struck out before the men had a chance of discovering the money, and they secured only a box of matches.