POLICE FIRED ON

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 10896, 10 May 1921, Page 5

POLICE FIRED ON

WANCANUI SENSATION EXCITING CAPTURE OF ALLEGED BURGLARS. TWO MEN BEFORE COURT. FXB PRESS ASSOCIATION. WANGANUI, May 9. A burglary sensation occurred, here last evening at Thomson’s grocery shop, Victoria avenue, resulting in the arrest of two men found on the premises after a number of shots had been fired by burglar's at the police from revolvers. It appears tfyat, being informed that the back door of the shop was open, Mr Thomson communicated with the police, and Constables Reger, Wilson, and O’Donoghue, accompanied by Thomson and the latter’s brother visited the shop at 7 o’clock- Constable O’Donoghue was posted at the back, Thomson and Constable Wilson entering by the front door. Wilson flashed” an electric torch on two men who were seen standing behind the counter, each with a revolver. “Hands up. or I’ll shoot,” said one. Constable WilBon immediately switched the light off and ducked behind a weighing scales, while Thomson sought refuge behind a cash register. The burglars dashed for the back door, Wilson in pursuit. At the back door one of the burglars, Allen, confronted by Constable O’Donoghue. exclaimed, “I’ll shoot.” O’Donoghue, undaunted, went straight at his man, who fired three shots, luckily without hitting O’Donoghue. Allen broke away from the constable’s clutch, and raced to the front of the shop. He dived headlong through the glass panel door into the street, where he was seized by the" Thomson brothers. He fired .another shot, but was quickly overpowered with Constable O’Donoghue’s aid. In the meantime the other burglar, Donovan, had found his exit from the shop impeded bjy falling cases, hut with levelled revolver he warned Constable Wilson to stand off. The constable dived at the man, who fired, Hie bullet grazing Wilson’s finger and going through the flap of .his coat within a Couple of inches of the heart. Wilson grabbed Donovan and threw him, Mid the latter gave in, saying “All right, Both, men were taken to the police station. . jV , n „ . An investigation showed that £b in stamps and some silver had been taken from the cash register. Efforts had been made to force the safe. A pair of gloves was also found. Tne accused were staying at an hotel under the name of Ross and Gilmour. When arrested they gave the names of Donovan and Bell. A search of their belongings disclosed bunches of keys, a chisel, a rope, a screwdriver, a skeleton key, and an electric torch. Donovan’s private effects induced a military discharge and two war service medals. , , , The revolvers were sevlfc-cnambered each, and had been fully loaded. ACCUSED REMANDED. As a sequel to last night’s sensation, Robert Gilmour Allen and Edward Donovan were charged at the Magistrate’s Court with breaking,’ entering and theft and attempting to murder Constables O’Donoghue and Wilson and John Alexander Thomson. A remand was granted until next Monday to enable the police to make inquiries. The tools found in. the possession of accused are reported to have been stolen from a local plumber.