TRAPPING CRIMINALS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21264, 19 February 1931, Page 11

TRAPPING CRIMINALS.

CORDON ROUND LONDON. FLASHLIGHT SIGNAL SYSTEM. PLACING POLICE ON ALERT. The City of London is shortly to be surrounded by an invisible electric wall, which will at a minute’s notice close, by police cordons, all entrances to and exits from the city. “ Smash and grab ” men, motor bandits, and crimanals of all kinds will find avenues of escape barred to them within 60 seconds of the discovery of their crimes. It will be impossible for a “ wanted ” vehicle to pass the city boundaries, and it will be extremely difficult even for individuals to escape, since, in cases of great emergency, even public transport vehicles could be inspected. Fifty-two electric signals operated simultaneously will put the entire city police force on the alert. Each of these red signal lamps will be fixed prominently on top of the present police ambulance telephone call boxes, and the alarm will b 6 given by flashing the lights from a central control hoard at city police headquarters in Old Jewry. Police officers on seeing the flashing lights will go at once to the telephone and receive a description of the vehicle to bo stopped, men to ho arrested, or other special orders. The post office is co-operatinng with the police in devising the mechanical equipment necessary for the operation of the new warning system. This new plan to defeat crimnials was revealed by Sir Hugh Turnbull, Commissioner of Police for the City of London, who recently returned from a visit to the United States, where he studied transatlantic police methods. The system was devised by Sir Hugh before lie went to America, and nothing he has seen there has been an improvement on it. “It w'ill mean,” lie said, “ that in the ease of a motor bandit raid a policeman telephones headquarters, and within a few seconds the 52 lights fiasli and instructions are given to all police on duty at the city boundaries.” The city will, as soon as the system is in operation early this year, become a trap, easy for criminals to enter, but from which escape will be almost impossible.