Christchurch Has Been Crime Centre Of Dominion During Past Five Months.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18939, 9 December 1929, Page 11

Christchurch Has Been Crime Centre Of Dominion During Past Five Months.

ARSON, ATTEMPTED MURDER AND SAFEBLOWING HAVE NOW GIVEN PLACE TO COINING AND CONFIDENCE TRICKERY.

f-.HRISTCHURCH, during the past five months, lias been the crime-centre of New Zealand. In that time there have been several alleged cases of attempted murder, an epidemic oi burglaries and incendiary fires and a series of safe-blowing attempts. iNow there is a new phase—counterfeit coins are flooding the city, and the confidence trickster is at work.

July 9—five months ago to-day—may be listed 3-S the day on which the arson period began. On that night the garage of Mr R. C. Dobson was entered and three cars set on fire by means of petrol taken from the tank of another. On July 11, a second attempt was made on the same place, this time in the petrol store, where a -number of cases Of kerosene and petrol were destroyed. Public speculation was now rife. What motive was there for these fires? Nobody knew, though there were plenty of theories. The “Fire-Bug” Series. The Dobson mystery faded, however, or rather became merged in many others, as fire after fire broke out—a few of them accidental, some definitely incendiary, and the rest suspicious. Hardly a night passed without a fire of some kind or another. It would be ridiculous to attribute them all to one man—they were too widespread for that—but, nevertheless, circumstances pointed to a number of the bigger outbreaks being the work of one man or gang—that personality being known as “The Fire-bug.” Overworked Police. What was to be done? The police, understaffed and ill-equipped, could do little to stop the outbreak. Working nearly twenty-four hours a day, they still could not, adequately, cover the city and wide-spreading suburbs. The detectives, with every day new inquiries to make concerning new fires, were overloaded and as a result showed very little for all their work. There was one inquiry, but there the matter stopped. Reward Still Offets. Inspector Rawle was sent down from Wellington to superintend the detectives's work, extra constables were transferred here, but it was now late in the day. The fire in the oil store of Messrs D. H. Brown and Co., in Carlisle Street, was the last in the chain of big fires. There were others after it, but they were spasmodic, and gradually the outbreak faded, having caused damage amounting to over £IOO,OOO Why it stopped then is not known. Was the lust for a big blaze satisfied by the fire at the oil store, or did the police preparations frighten the criminal away? These questions may never be answered. for no arrest was made. The Hon T. M. Wilford, Minister of Justice, made the statement that there was no incendiarist, no “Fire-bug.” .Certainly none was ever caught, and notices outside police stations still offer £250 to anyone who can give information leading to the arrest of the person responsible for several of the more outstanding fires. Will it ever be claimed? The Hammond Shooting. Right at the start of this era, a crime of a different sort startled the city. Mr Edward Hammond, a prominent city business man, was shot down by a burglar, whom he surprised in his shop in Oxford Terrace. Here was a crime of a simpler sort. A burglar, armed,

was caught red-handed; submitted easily and was on his way to the police station, when, apparently acting on impulse, he turned on his captor and shot him. There was something definite to work on. The man had been seen by and had spoken with at least two men, Mr Hammond, and Mr M. E. Halligan, whose garage is behind Mr Hammond’s place. The police had a description of the man, albeit a poor one, and his finger-prints. The motive was clear—theft. Here was something substantial for trained detectives to set their minds to. They were, however, cluttered up with other work, their hours were unreasonably long, their clues too few and too weak. Whatever the reason, nothing furthei was heard of the matter, though a revolver was found in the Avon nearby, which had features similar to the weapon with which Mr Hammond was shot. Some Convictions Secured. The police had more success in regard to an outbreak of burglaries which occurred during the same period, and they secured a number of convictions. A large number have still to be accounted for, however. The “ Safe-Blowers’ ” Turn. More recently a gang of cracksmen know as “ The Safe-blowers ” have kept the business population on tenterhooks. Their methods were not gentle. They filled the key-hole of the safe with gelignite, plugged it and then, by means of an electric spark, set it off. In only one case did they fail to open the safe, and that was because the gelignite did not explode. The noise which attended their efforts naturally restricted their scope, and had they continued it is almost certain that they would be caught sooner or later. They started in the office of the Paparua County Council, and secured £352. That was their only big haul, and, after working the fringe of the city for some time, and without success, they tried their luck, two weeks ago, in the city, at the office of the Kiwi Dairy Company. That was their first and only mistake. In spite of the hour, between twelve o’clock and 1 a.m., several people heard the noise of the explosion, and one was courageous enough to inquire further. Had circumstances been different, and had the police officers been called immediately, had they arrived a little sooner, the “ Safe-blowers ” might now be under lock and key. As it was they escaped, taking about £3O with them. That narrow escape evidently convinced the criminals that their luck had stood them in good stead long enough, for, so far, they have not been heard of here since Dunedin now has them or a similar gang to contend with. The Counterfeiters. The latest crime with which our detectives have to deal is the circulation in large numbers cf counterfeit coins of good workmanship. It is not known yet where they are made, but indications are that Christchurch is the chief source of supply. Police officials have the matter in hand, and Christchurch must needs sit back, watching its own pockets, of course, and await the result. I