SNEAK THIEF IN CITY

Southland Times, Issue 24548, 24 September 1941, Page 4

SNEAK THIEF IN CITY

Minor Robberies In Gladstone Residents of Gladstone, and possibly other parts of the city, would be well advised to lock their wash-houses and other outhouses at night or at any time when they leave their houses empty. A sneak thief has been particularly active in that area recently and is reported to have committed many minor thefts. The list of goods stolen does not disclose any great ambitions for profitable booty on the part of the thief. He has shown a catholic taste and more prudence than is usual among those who prey on the belongings of other people. The goods stolen consist largely of food, refreshments and clothing. His choice of articles suggest that he is a family man who is not averse to supplementing the family larder and wardrobe by illegal means. A year ago an audacious burglar made his presence felt in the city and caused considerable concern to the police. He committed daring burglaries in practically every hospital in the city or on its outskirts and robbed a number of private homes while the occupants were away or sleeping. TIMID NATURE The present thief appears to have a more timid nature. Not for him is the stealthy intrusion into a house in which persons are sleeping or a hospital in which nurses are on duty throughout the night. He prefers to forage in a wash-house left conveniently open or a garage or a shed used for storage purposes. One householder missed a box of tea from his wash-house; another lost his week-end meat from an outside safe, and a third had various articles of food stolen. Several residents have recently complained that milk money left beside the billy overnight has been stolen. Perhaps the most disgusted citizen was one who stored his hoard of beer in the wash-house and went for a bottle one evening only to find that the whole lot had been stolen. The burglar’s choice of clothing has been confined to articles of underwear. Other garments of greater value have been left severely alone, probably because they could be more easily recognized.