SHOT FIRED IN CITY STREET

Southland Times, Issue 23736, 7 February 1939, Page 8

SHOT FIRED IN CITY STREET

DETECTIVES ACCOST TWO MEN REPORTED PETROL THEFTS INVESTIGATED (United Press Association) CHRISTCHURCH, February 6. A shot was fired, but no one was hurt when detectives accosted two men in Montreal street, near Hazeldean road, last night. The men escaped. It was officially announced today that no one was hurt and that the police had not fired the shot. The officers gave chase and the two men separated in their flight. One man ran down Hazeldean road, while the ether turned north, later rejoining his companion. Although the detectives made a hard chase of it, the men escaped. Detectives C. P. Burns and Watt, with a constable, were investigating reports of petrol thefts, from city storehouses. At 10 o’clock last evening they went by car to an oil company’s premises in Montreal street. They saw two men standing near by and spoke to them. Then the officers were startled by a flash and the crack of a pistol. A motor truck was later discovered parked near by and the detectives took possession of it. This morning Senior Sergeant J. Bickerdike said that the shot had not been fired by his men. The police were at present making further inquiries into the case. For some time past, added SeniorSergeant Bickerdike, the police had been receiving complaints of petrol thefts in .the city. Inquiries had been made ana in some cases watches had been kept. Detectives Burns and Watts had been making inquiries of this nature last evening. An official of one of the oil companies this afternoon said that five 44 gallon drums of petrol valued at £22 had been stolen from its store on either Friday or Saturday evening. Other oil company officials said that they had not suffered, although one added that petrol had been stolen some four or five months ago.