ROBBERS FRUSTRATED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22010, 17 January 1935, Page 6

ROBBERS FRUSTRATED

MAN IN PYJAMAS THIEVES ORDERED TO STAND Mr. 0. R. Cormack, who lives at Mosman, Sydney, lately prevented a neighbour's house being robbed. The thieves showed considerable daring, as the police station is only a few yards awav. Jhe occupants of the premises at which the theft was attempted a?e absent on holidays. Mr. Cormack awoke shortly after 1 a.m. and saw a light ,burning in the neighbour's kitchen. Thinking this strange, he got up and saw two men moving about near the house. Mr. Cormack thought they might have been police inspecting the premises, but decided to make sure. He armed himself with a revolver and. without waiting to put on a dressing down, went out in his pyjamas. Mr. Cormack confronted the two men and demanded, "What are vow doing here?" The men, who were carrying' a suitcase and some parcels, replied, "We live hero "

"No, you don't," retorted Mr. Cormack. "You bail up, or I'll shoot you." The nren instantly dropped the suitCase and parcels and ran. Mr. Cormack fired a shot at them. "But.",he said, "jt only made them run faster." Other neighbours, awakened by the shot, appeared, and Mr. Cormack telephoned the police station. Two detectives arrived and found that the back door of 'the house had been forced. A fanlight over a door between rooms had been broken, and the man who broke it evidently cut himself, for there •t\ere many bloodstains near by. The rooms Wjere in considerable confusion. It was found that the suitcase and parcels which the thieves dropped contained articles of clothing and cutlery. A .woman's handbag had evidently been rifled.