WOMAN'S ORDEAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23226, 21 December 1938, Page 12

WOMAN'S ORDEAL

ATTACKED IN HOME bogus inspector ALLEGED DEMAND FOR MONEY EPISODE AT REMUERA A young married woman of Armadale Road, Remuera, reported to the police yesterday that a man gained admission to her house on the pretext that he was an inspector of electrical wiring, and after perfunctorily trying the switches in various rooms, demanded £2 for Christmas, at the same time assaulting her about the mouth and face.

The woman told the police that yesterday morning a man about 30 years of age and well dressed, knocked on the back door and asked her whether she had experienced any trouble with the housing lighting system. He carried a notebook with a list of names in it, and said he was looking for power leakages. Ho asked to see the switchboard. Screamed for Help " He looked genuine enough," the woman said in an interview later, and I allowed him to enter. I left him at the switchboard and went into the kitchen. Ho askfd to see the power points, and I showed him through to a lounge room at the front of the house. As I turned away to return to the kitchen, he placed his hands over my mouth, and demanded money." The woman struggled to freo herself and screamed for help. He is said to have threatened her if she screamed again. Although she was nearly suffocated with the pressure of his hands on her mouth and nose, she continued, she struggled and managed to escape. Escape Through Back Door

After falling to the floor, she freed herself and asked for a drink of water. Then the man again threatened her if she made a noise and said he wanted only money. The woman got a drink of water for herself and seized the opportunity of running away through the back door. The man is said to have followed her, but when she screamed loudly he walked through the house and-Jeft by the front door. As soon as she had recovered her composure the woman telephoned the police. The police arrested a man in the city last night. He will be brought before a magistrate in the Police Court this morning.