"JUST LIKE WAR"

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22432, 29 November 1934, Page 6

"JUST LIKE WAR"

STOREKEEPER SURPRISES BURGLARS EXCHANGE OF SHOTS (Pee United Peess Association) CHRISTCHURCH, November 28. Two burglars who broke into a store at Woodend were surprised by the proprietor, Mr C. B. Bourne. They opened lire on him with a revolver. Mr Bourne had heard suspicious noises, and had armed himself with a shotgun. He saw the men leaving and fired a shot, whicn drew two revolver shots in reply. The men then ran down the road with Mr Bourne firing after them. They leapt into a waiting ear and drove off. They passed Mr Bourne and fired two more shots, one of them inflicting, the wound in the hand. Mr Bourne, accompanied by his wife, returned home from a social just after 2 o'clock. Ab they entered the house, which is detached from the shop, Mr Bourne heard noises. He armed himself with a single-barrelled shotgun. Evidently the men had been disturbed, and Mr Bourne surprised them on coming out of a side door, and fired instantly. One of them swung round and fired at Mr Bourne, but the bullet went wide. Then the burglar ran back to join his companion. The men gained an entry to the store by drilling through the planks of one door. It is evident that they had not much time to make a search for booty, and nothing was taken. Mr Bourne, interviewed, was inclined to make light of the .shooting. "After I fired my tost shot, and I got a bullet 'in leply, it was just like the war again, he said. "I blazed away until my ammunition was used up." He said he had not fired with intent to hit the men, but up in the air to frighten them off. The men showed amazing recklessness in driving past Mr Bourne, armed and ready to shoot when they made their escape, as the car fled past him with one of the men.leaning out of a window firing. Mr Bourne pluckily held his ground, and returned the fire, hoping to puncture the car's tyres and thus stop it.