THE MODERN SLEUTH

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18859, 11 May 1923, Page 8

THE MODERN SLEUTH

WIRELESS AND MOTOR CARS.

AUSTRALIAN METHODS.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

.SYDNEY, May 2. That science and aviation are daily making the lot of the criminal more difficult is shown by the remarkable use that is being made by the police in Melbourne of the wireless telephone. Melbourne is the first city in Australia to adopt this device to aid in the rapid pursuit of criminals, but the example is likely to be followed shortly in Sydney. For some time in both capitals it has been the practice to employ night motor patrols as well us the ordinary foot policeman with a set beat. These speedy patrols have no regular route, but fly about the suburbs in the dgad of night and have on numerous occasions had exciting adventures with burglars getting away with booty. The efficiency of this system is new being increased in Melbourne by equipping those itinerant sleuths with wireless telephones. There are two men with each motor car or motor, cycle and side car One drives and the ether can pick up wireless messages through receivers strapped to his oars while the machine is speeding along upon its rounds of the suburbs. Although, during the month or so that it has been on trial, this telephone has not been responsible for the immediate capture of evil-doers, much valuable time has been saved. One actual message despatched from headquarters through the radio station to the patrol was; “Proceed to 380 Toorak road, .South Yarra, burglars in several places in last half-hour. The man with the headgear heard the broadcasted message clearly, and the night patrol car was on the scene three minutes biter, having broken all speed records. But the birds had flown. Another urgent call was to a house in St. Kilda read, whore an armed burglar bad been active. Again their man was missed by only a few minutes. The plant on the oar does not affect its speed, and there is no tell-tale aerial.