CHASING A THIEF

Southland Times, Issue 17232, 31 December 1912, Page 5

CHASING A THIEF

AN EXCITING HUNT. OYER FENCES AND ROUND HOUSES. (Special to the Times.) CHRISTCHURCH. December SO. Tills afternoon a man named Cecil Ardley left his bicycle near the entrance to the public gardens, and returned In time to see a young man, nearly six feet tall, carrying it off. He had friends with him. and he lef' hem to watch events, while he rushed to the detective office. It was roughly five o’clock, and he found Detectives Regan .'j;id Thompson there. They responded to his call at once, and went down by cycle. There followed a great cross-country race, lasting more than an hour. The track was roughly from the corner of Hereford street to Cashel street, across the road to Hereford street, almost opposite the police station, through the High street school grounds to Worcester street, to Gloucester street, and three limes round a house there, and then a capture The fugitive had the start of one section, and he was very fit. Both detectives were unarmed, but Detective Thompson called to the fugitive that he would fire. The man went harder than e\er. The detectives held their ground. A clergyman challenged one as he came across the fence: "Do you know where you ore? Do you know what you are doing?" There was no answer, ami the chase swept on. An old lady ihrealem.-d tln-m wlih the broom with which she was sweeping the yard, it was a matter of a scramble, and while the Tasmanian palings worried them it was the iron fences with serrated tops that cut their hands, and tore their clothes. The fugitive kept his distance, and at the ninth obstacle Detective Thompson fell. Regan was left sailing alone. It was as though a mark had been drawn between the two of them and the rest of the world. No others joined In the chase. The escapee tired, and the detective was not as fresh as he had been. Each fence seemed a more difficult obstacle. They came to a big house in Armagh street. There were no more fenc s. Three times round the house they rushed, a little game of cat ami mouse. Roth were done. Detective Regan played ills last card to be bluffed that his pipe was a revolver. The man’s hands went up, and It was all OVer.