CAMERA CATCHES NEWSPAPER THIEF.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18008, 19 November 1926, Page 10

CAMERA CATCHES NEWSPAPER THIEF.

LINWOOD RESIDENT RISES EARLY AND SETS TRAP. The tale of a paper thief and a concealed camera is told by a Linwood resident. He had missed his “Lyttelton Times” on several occasions and set a trap to catch the offender. On a recent morning he rose early, just as the runner was doing his rounds, and saw his papier thrown to the centre of his front lawn. Armed with a camera, he sat beside an open front window, the blind of which was partly raised, and waited for the expected caller. His patience met with its due' reward, for soon afterwards a man came along the street, calmly walked into the grounds and made his exit with the “Lyttelton Times” tucked under his arm. He was blissfully unconscious of the fact that as he picked up the paper a camera clicked on him. The print from the negative was a perfect one, clear and unmistakable as to the subject of the snap. It was shown to the corner grocer, who immediately recognised the person who was picking up the paper, and was able to give the name and address. Further corroboration came when the snap was shown to a friend of the man behind the lens. “Oh, yes.” he said, “I know him: he works with me and he shares his ‘Times’ with his mates every morning.” The subscriber had a talk with the runner about the missing papers, and learned that he was not the only victim of such paltry thefts in his quarter of the city. He dislikes the idea of a prosecution, but is determined that this unlawful appropriation of his “Lyttelton Times” must cease. The picture he holds may yet be shown to the subject of the study.