THE REVOLVER'S POINT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20642, 14 February 1929, Page 6

THE REVOLVER'S POINT.

A NOTORIOUS FUR THIEF., CLEVER ESCAPE FROM GAOL STRANGE HIDING PLACE. After a dramatic escape from prison, the “king” of Berlin fur thieves has been captured at the revolver point. A robber named Roman Trezadka is known to have organised and carried out over 20 thefts in a few-months, in which furs worth many' thousands of pounds have been stolen. About two months ago, Trezadka was captured in the act of robbing a fur store. Elaborate precautions were taken to prevent his escape, while he was awaiting trjal- On the way to the prison chapel one day, he found himself next to an old confederate, and he succeeded in persuading the authorities to permit him and his friend to occupy a double cell. By some means Trezadka obtained u file in exchange for two packets of tobacco. The two men cut through the iron bars across the cell and • made a ladder by tying their bedclothes and weighting it with books which they had borrowed from the prison library. They dropped into the courtyard, but were then faced with u 20-foot wall. It was thc,n that the weighted ladder came into " operation. They swung it up until it caught in the spikes on the- top of the wall; then over they went. The escape was discovered within 20 minutes, and dogs put on the track. Trezadka was not captured, but his companion was retaken. In a few days the master burglar was again busy robbing fur shops. The police watched for him day and nighty and he was recoenised in an eastern suburb. The detectives trailed him to a house in another suburb, which they watched until 11 o’clock at night. Making their way into a,back room the police found six men and seven women celebrating a birthday at a table laden with champagne pottles. The. detectives were armed with revolvers, and the party were- taken by surprise. One l woman who was holding a ,'baby in her arms pinghed it to make it scream, in th» hope of distracting the attention of the police and a member of the party addressed as “Roman,” a, brother of the celebrated burglar who greatly resembled him. These rises failed, and some of the police searched the flat while others kept watch over the champagne party. Roman Trezadka was not to be found, and the police left, leaving some of their number in hiding near by. Half an hour later Roman, believing that'all was clear, came out, and was about to hail a passing taxi when detectives appeared before him with revolvers.

It was learned later that the thief had hidden under the skirts of one of fhe women in the room who was of a bulky build, and wove a long dress, Roman had a loaded revolver in each of hyi breast sockets, and £SO in notes was in Ms possession. The . whole party was arrested later, and many valuable furt were found hidden in the flat.