DRAMATIC ARREST

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21878, 14 August 1934, Page 11

DRAMATIC ARREST

CAPTURE ON ROOF-TOPS MAN WITH REVOLVER FIFTEEN CHARGES LAID THEFTS IN CITY ADMITTED & A story of the capture of an armed man on a city roof-top on the night of July 30 was told in tho Police Court yesterday, when a labourer, Colin William Glass, aged 21, appeared on 12 charges of breaking and entering city premises. He was also charged with attempting to discharge a loaded revolver at Detective S. C. Whitehead with intent to do grievous bodily harm,, with being unlawfully in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and with a simple theft charge. The offences were alleged to have occurred between June 9 and July 30, and the total value of the money and goods alleged to have been.stolen was estimated at £179 Is 6d. Details ol Charges Accused was charged with breaking and entering by night tho following premises and stealing the money or articles specified:— The shop of Cameron Brothers at Levin on June 9, clothing valued at £lB 7s; the explosives storehouse of tho Auckland City Council at the Old Stone Jug on Juno 26, 45ft. of fuse and 13 detonators, valued at 2s 3d; the shop of John Griffith Bell, Ponsonby Road, on June 26, £5; the City Boot Stores in Karangahape Road on July 2, £9, and jewellery valued at £4 10s; the warehouse of Thompson and Hills, Nelson Street, 1 on July 6, £2, and jewellery valued at £126; the counting-house of the Bank of New South Wales, Newmarket, on July 12, a .38 calibre six-chambered revolver and five cartridges, value £5 9s 3d; entering the warehouse of Koefoed's, Limited, Mortimer Pass, on July 13, £2; the warehouse of Burke and Company, 12 Kingston Street, on July 23, Is 3d; the counting-house of Frank Weldon, Elliott Street, postal notes valued at £3. Accused was also charged with stealing from the home of Jessie Halm, at 340 Queen Street, on July 30, three trinkets valued at £3 lis 3d. In addition he was charged with breaking and entering, with intent to commit theft, the shops of H. and C. Lamb, and H. A. Dearth, in Karangahape Road, on July 11, and the warehouse of Makower, Mcßeath and Company, Limited, on July 25.

Chase on Rool Tops A description of the events which led to the capture of accused was given by a young man, James Ridolph Jurie, proprietor of the Oceanic Fisheries shop, which is a few doors above St. James' Theatre. "I went into my back yard at about 8.30 p.m. on July 30 and noticed a man moving ori my roof," he said. "I called out: 'What are you doing there?' and he said: 'Sh . I'm one of the police. I'm keeping an eye on someone.' I said: 'What's your name, anyway?' a.nd he replied: 'l'm Detective Hunt.' " Witness said lie decided to telephone the police, and, as a result of the message he gave, Detectives Whitehead and Slater arrived about 10 minutes later. All three went into the yard, but could not see anyone, and witness and Detective Whitehead then went through an adjoining tobacconist's shop and on to the roof from there. It was difficult to see along the roofs because of their steepness, but at last witness ma.de out someone moving against an electric sign belonging to Barry and Beale. Witness and Detective Whitehead then made their way across the roof-tops. When they were close to the man, whem -witness identified as accused, they could see he was crouching against the sign. Alleged Threat With Gun

Detective Whitehead told accused to stand up, witness continued. The detective then took a brown paper parcel from accused's pocket and handed it to witness. "While I was taking it, I saw the accused put his hand to a pocket, I am not sure which, and pull, out a revolver," Jurie continued. "He said: 'Stick them up, or I'll —well shoot you.' The detective tried to take the revolver from him and they both fell. I heard the revolver click, and jumped on ao cused and tried to take the revolver from him. Accused was trying to bring his arm round to shoot Detective Whitehead, but before he could get his arm around I grabbed the revolver. I was excited and accidentally. I must have pulled the trigger, and a shot went off." Witness went on to describe a scuffle on the steep roof and said that when he tried to hand the revolver back to Detective Whitehead accused struck at witness, who hit back and temporarily dazed him with a blow over the left eye. Witness then helped the detective to hold accused, ,who said: "If it was not for that big I would have «hot you both." Witness was later present at the detective office when the revolver was examined. Four of the six chambers contained shells. Three wer« live and the second one past the first live one had be£n discharged. Gelignite and Mask

Detective Whitehead also related tho events leading up to the capture. He said that, when searched, accused was found to have in his possession gelignite, fuses, detonators, two rubber gloves, a bottle of glycerine, a blue silk mask and other articles, including two brooches which he admitted stealing from 340 Queen Street that night. On August 1, added the detective, the accused made a statement in which he admitted the breaking and entering offences. "I desire to tell the police of any crimes I have committed, as I am finished with crime," ho said at the beginning of the statement, which went on to detail tho methods by which ho had gained entry to tho various premises.

"In a later discussion with accused, I said to him: 'You cannot deny that you pulled the trigger of th<i gun,' " witness added. "Accused replied: 'Yes, but I knew it was quite safe as I had it on an empty chamber.' " Accused pleaded guilty to all charges except that of attempting to discharge the revolver. He was committed by Mr. W. JR. McKean, S.M., to the Supreme Court for trial on this charge, and for sentence on the,others.