SHOT FIRED

Southland Times, Issue 22297, 12 April 1934, Page 8

SHOT FIRED

HOLD-UP OF VAN WIRES PLACED ACROSS ROAD MOTIVE SUSPECTED (Per United Press Association.) Christchurch, April 11. When Mr H. B. Kissel, who drives a delivery van for the grocery firm of Messrs G. R. Kissel, Ltd., Templeton, was returning from West Melton to Templeton on Tuesday evening, he found his way blocked by two wires stretched across the road. Mr Kissel removed the wires, and as he was about to drive away, a bullet was fired into the body of the van. It appears that the affair was an attempt at a hold-up and that while Mr Kissel was taking the wires down he was being watched by a man who stood behind a hedge with a fire-arm. The time was 6.45 p.m. The evening was dark and heavy rain was falling. Tire road was one on which there was ordinarily little traffic. Mr Kissel, who was driving slowly, saw the wires in time and stopped his van as the windscreen touched the wires. An investigation showed that two wires were tied to bluegum trees on each side of the road and were twisted until taut by a wood tourniquet. The wire was heavy-weight gauge galvanized fencing wire. Mr Kissel could see nobody, but his suspicions were aroused, and he spoke loudly as if addressing a companion in the van. He cleared the obstruction and as he was driving away he heard a sound as of a stone striking the van. He took no notice then, but this morning he found a .22 calibre rifle bullet in the door of the van. It had pierced the metal sheeting and the nose was showing through the leather inside. When Mr Kissel reached Templeton he telephoned Constable Worsley, of Islington, and with him drove to the locality and made a thorough search, but found nobody. To-day detectives from police headquarters have been investigating. Mr Kissel has been in the habit of making this journey on Tuesday and Friday and he believes that somebody who knew this laid a trap in the hope of robbing him of his takings for- the day.