AT REVOLVER POINT

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20482, 7 December 1934, Page 7

AT REVOLVER POINT

Constable Arrests Armed Man After

Chase Through City. GREATLY ASSISTED BY CIVILIANS. Suspect Trailed By Young- Men Until Police Arrive. BAILED UP by a constable after an exciting chase through the city streets last evening, a suspect was arrested at revolver point and relieved of his own loaded revolver. The man, it is alleged, was struggling to pull a gun from his pocket when he felt the pressure of the constable’s revolver in his ribs. The arrested man had been trailed by two civilians, and it is stated one of them was held up no fewer than four times in the course of the chase by the fugitive producing the revolver and warning him, “ Keep back, or I’ll shoot.” The constable who effected the arrest was Constable B. W. Wootton, of Sydenham, who speaks in terms of the highest praise for the behaviour of Messrs V. N. Guv, of 33, Everard Street, Spreydon, and L. W. Piper, 38, Hawdon Street, for the conspicuous part they played in effecting the arrest.

It was at the premises of the Selwyn Hosiery Company, 351, Selwyn Street, that a long chase started. Shortly after half-past 10 one of the employees of the firm, Mr J. Cassin, was passing, and the suspicious movements of two men, carrying suitcases, attracted his attention. He and a friend went to intercept the men. The men dashed for the gate, but as the hinges were broken they could not open it and hastily clambered over it, still carrying the suitcases. While one rushed along Burke Street, practically opposite the Selwyn Hosiery Company, the other hung back, and, it is alleged, drew a revolver as Mr Cassin and his friend came on. ** Stand back or 111 shoot! ” he said. Before Mr Cassin and his friend could recover from their surprise, the second man had joined his friend in Burke Street and they raced together up tne street. Message Sent To Police. By this time Mr V. N. Guy and his brother, Mr W. F. Guy, had come along on bicycles and saw the commotion and the men disappearing up Burke Street. They immediately gave chase, later commissioning Mr L. W. Piper, who had come on the scene, to go for the police. Mr Piper jumped on his bicycle and picked up Constable Wootton, who armed himself. He told the constable r briefly what had happened, and that the two men and their pursuers had turned into Colombo Street. Mr Piper and the constable joined Mr V. L. Guy in his pursuit. They were assisted by the fact that he " and his brother had posted other civilians at the corners to warn the constable of the direction that had been taken by the party. In that way the constable and Piper quickly picked them up. Mr W . F. Guy had also gene for the police k in the meantime. The pursuers saw the two men in flight in Madras Street near the overhead railway bridge, and by the time they had joined Sir Guy and got off their bicycles the men were at the top of the bridge. Mr Piper was in front, when suddenly one of the men drew his revolver, it is alleged, and warned him to stand back or he would shoot. The second man meanwhile dashed down the few steps on the other side and disappeared into the railway yard. Mr V. L. Guy separated from the others and chased the second man, the constable and Mr Piper keeping the other man in view as he raced over the bridge. Again over the bridge, in Fyfe Street, the constable and Mr Piper came up with the armed man, and again he drew his revolver. As soon as he turned to flee they gave chase. Nearing Madras Street the constable secured a bicycle from a passing cyclist and followed up Mr Piper and the suspect. While he was transferring to the bicycle he lost sight of the pair, but through directions left he caught up 1 with them again in Latimer Square. ' k The constable arrived to find Mr Piper being threatened with the revolver for the third or fourth time. Mr Piper had gamely kept track of the fugitive, halting when confronted with the revolver, and immediately taking up the chase again when the man took to his heels. Constable Draws Gun. With the appearance of the, constable the man took to his heels but the constable caught up with him in Hereford Street, near Liverpool Street, in the vicinity of Skelton, Frostick’s, boot manufacturers. The constable jumped off his bicycle, rushed up belt hind the man, who was struggling to * pull his revolver again, and jammed T his own revolver in the suspect’s side. » The man was searched and in a B pocket, it was stated, was found a .38 If calibre revolver, loaded in all six chambers, together with a plentiful supply of ammunition. Meanwhile Mr V. N. Guy, who had ■Lgone in pursuit of the man who broke at the railway bridge had been unsuccessful in his pursuit, the second man. dodging round the rakes of trucks in the yard and getting clear. Mr Guy, however, found the two suitcases which W the man had dropped. Both were empty. Praise from Police. Mr Guy is only twenty years of age and his brother twenty-one. Mr Piper is also a young man and was wellknown as a runner a few years ago. Police officers were high in their praise of the young men this morning, stating that they had performed a notable service. Very few people would have been prepared to take part in the chase of an armed man as they had done. The police were grateful for the assistance. So far as is known nothing was stolen from the premises of the Selwyn Hosiery Company. The manager. Mr \V. C. Fairbrother, stated this morning that the stocks were being checked up but everything appeared to be intact. Entrance to the premises wa% gained through the use of a jemmy on the back door. Once inside the men had had to break through a second door, and it must have been at that stage that they were disturbed. The lock was snapped off the door. The jemmy had been expertly used, leaving only a small indentation at the lock.

“ I wasn't quite sure that it was a revolver that was produced,” said Mr Cassin this morning, “ but I remenv bered that in the Woodend case it wano bluff.”

STORY OF THE CHASE

Brothers’ Exciting Experience. “ I was riding home down Selwyn Street with my brother when we came on the scene,” said Mr \V. F. Guy, one of the men who took part in the chase. “My brother went round the back of the building. I remained on guard in front. Suddenly two men leapt over the fence, each carrying a suitcase. A man and woman who were passing by attempted to stop the men, but one ‘ pulled a gun.' I stopped and the men ran away. My brother and I followed to Montreal Street. My brother had not seen the gun, and when the men went into a gateway in Burke Street he rode past and lay in wait for them. We followed them down Montreal Street and I went for a constable. “ I returned with the policeman and we separated. I went round Hawdon Street and the policeman went up Carlyle Street. He met my brother on the Madras Street bridge. The men ran across the bridge and dumped their cases over the side. One ran down Madras Street and the other into the station goods yard. There my brother lost his quarry. In the meantime the policeman and Mr Piper, who had joined in the chase, chased the other man down Madras Street. Eventually they cornered him and found that he was carrying a .38 calibre revolver, big enough to blow a hole in your side that you could put your fist in.” Mr Guy said that his brother, who is a year younger than himself, was “ as game as Ned Kelly.” It had been a thrilling chase, but rather terrifying. “ Got a Cannon.” “ After my brother went for the police I went down Antigua Street to Hazeldean Road, then back along Madras Street. I had lost the men, but picked them up again in Battersea Street,” said Mr V. N. Guy, telling his story. ‘‘l followed them straight down to Colombo Street., where I told Piper to go for the police. Then they turned down Carlyle Street, and I asked a man to tell the police that they had gone that way. I passed them again and waited for them near the Madras Street bridge. I did not want them to know that T was on their trail. “ They had just got on to the bridge when the police came along. Piper followed them on to the bridge, and one drew a revolver and shouted to get back or he would give it to him. Piper stopped dead and threw up his hands. The men ran off. and I followed on to the bridge. There Piper told me that one had gone down the steps to the railway yard. I raced after him. and found the bag among the trucks, but I never saw the man again. I collected the bag and came back to the bridge, where I waited for the policeman and Piper to return with the captive.” Mr Guy said that earlier in the chase he was warned by his brother to be careful. “My brother said, ‘ He’s got a cannon.’ ” When a reporter arrived at Gemmell’s joinery works he found Mr Guy hard at work as though he had not spent part of the night chasing armed thieves. He was dressed in an opennecked shirt and wearing overalls, and was busy planing a door. “It was some night.” concluded Mr Guy. “In fact, it was quite hectic.”