MOTOR CAR THIEF

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22268, 22 May 1934, Page 10

MOTOR CAR THIEF

A SENSATIONAL CHASE CONSTABLE'S PLUCKY ACTION QUARRY FINALLY ESCAPES (Peb United Presb Association.) AUCKLAND, May 21. A successful effort to evade arrest was made by a motor car thief -who leaped 1 from a moving car and escaped in the darkness when accosted by. a constable in Newton. The owner left his car in Queen street -while he attended a picture theatre, and it was stolen in his absence. Later Constable J. M'Kensie ' saw a three-seater answering to the description of the stolen vehicle travelling slowly along Great North road. The car was stopped with its engine still running, and as soon as the driver saw the constable approaching he drove off. Before the car could gather speed the constable managed to jump on to the near side running board and retained bis ." hold while the driver accelerated. The driver of the stolen car opened the righthand .door and slid out from behind .he -wheel, standing on the off-side running board and steering with one hand. For a short distance the car continued with the thief on one running board and the constable on the other, the width of '.be vehicle separating them. Near a corner, however,, the thief jumped clear, leaving the constable clinging to the car, which was by that time travelling smartlyDetermined to arrest the thief the Constable also jumped from his side of the car. Both men fell in the roadway, and the thief, who picked himself up smartly, -was chased, but scaled a fence and disappeared. With nobody at the wheel the car continued down a slight grade, swerved slightly to the right and crashed into the gate of a property at the corner of Burgoyne street. The impact was sufficient to smash about 10 feet of paling fence, while the veranda rail was also broken,-the car coming to rest-with One front wheel almost inside the door of the house. The occupant of the house said there was a terrific crashing of. broken wood and glass as the car struck the building, and at first he thought an explosion had occurred. One of the gate posts was hurled half way down the hall, while a stout veranda support was also well inside the front door. A large glass panel near the front door was. also .smashed. " A similar -crime with more serious consequences wa» committed in Auckland last September, when Constable> E. B. Stewart had his right leg badly fractured in an attempt to arrest a motor car thief.''