COHEN JEWEL ROBBERY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 121, 25 May 1931, Page 7

COHEN JEWEL ROBBERY

SMART WORK OF DETECTIVES. HOW POLICE AIADE ARREST. SYDNEY, Alay 13. Two men who had been shadowed day and night in Sydney by detectives since Alay 7 were arrested on Alay 12 ami charged with having assaulted and rob bed Air Cohen ami also with having broken into and rubbed their victim’s jewellery shop. Just about the time, of the robbery a speeding car narrowly missed colliding with a traffic constable in a street. The machine was driven so swiftly on ward that its number was not taken, but the constable noted its make, its colour, and one or two other particu lars. There the matter ended until the constable heard of the robbery, and he passed on his information to the detectives. On the following day three detectives observed two men, whom they rccog nised. as inter-State criminals, driving a motor car. In every detail the machine resembled the car which had nearly struck the constable on tho pre vious night. The number was noted and the index at the traffic office was consulted, with tho result that the man to whom tho number plate had been issued was interviewed. The detectives were led to believe that the ear they had seen was probably a stolen car which had been cleverly disguised and which was carrying a wrong number plate. On the evening Alay 7 the car was again located and from that time onward the car was followed everywhere it travelled and everything its occuants did was noted. On one occasion one of the men entered a leading restaurant ami ordered a chicken dinner; but he did not notice that a man who also entered and sat at another table had adjusted a silver tea pot so that the suspect’s image was mirrored on its polished surface. The detective was glad of the meal. He had been on “shadowing” duty for nearly eight hours without a break or food to On another occasion one of tho men turned suddenly and bumped into a detective. “Why don’t you look where you’re going. . . . Keep your senses about ycu. . . What are your eyes for?” said the detective. “Sorry, old chap; it was my fault. I know,” apologised tho man. “Well, keep your wits about you,” grumbled the detective and moved on. Day after day the shadowing proceeded until Alay .12, when Detective-Ser-geant ATcCarthy and Detective Boswell were watching one of the men. Something happened to alarm him and he made a sudden dart across the road and scrambled into a taxicab. There was not another taxi near by at th? time and the detectives chased the machine on foot for nearly two block* before they secured another car. The secret of the hunt had been disclosed and the time had come for quick action. The first taxicab was quickly overtaken and the detectives bailed up its passenger with their revolvers and took him to headquarters. Tn the cab was a parcel containing a big propoit Zi of tho stolen jewellery. Swift moves were then made by the police. AH those who had taken part in the Hunt were ca.ied in to concentrate on a plan which had Leon arranged several days prex iously. About a dozen detectives separated and went to every address that the mon had been sen to enter for the previous week. At Darlinghurst a richly-furnisncd flat wasentcrcd and tho detectives en gaged in a hand-to-hand struggle with a young, powerfully-built man, who took notice of tho revolver levelled a! him. Finally ho overpowered and handcuffed. Behind a largo mirror hanging on one of tho walls was found a parcel con taining a further quantity of the jewels stolen from Air Cohen’s shop and in the man’s pocket was a list of the jewellery which had been recovered in the taxicab a few hours earlier. Both the arrested men were accus tomed to moving in tho best circles and wore always smartly dressed. One had six new £lO banknotes in his pocket.