EPIDEMIC OF CRIME

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 299, 17 December 1937, Page 7

EPIDEMIC OF CRIME

BREAKING AND ENTERING CASES IN AUCKLAND EIGHT ATTEMPTS IN Siv DAIS [ Ter Press Association. ] AUCKLAND, Dec. 16. A furthei two raids, reported to lhe police to-day, have been added to the rapidly growing list of breaking and entering crimes in Auckland during the past week. It is becoming increasingly evident that an epidemic of these crimes, which is now assuming a serious nature, has broken out in the city. A total of eight attempts, the majority successful, have taken place during the past six days. They have included two private residences raided during the daytime. One of the most audacious of these crimes took place early this morning, when an oilice at Green Lane Railway Station was entered. After unsuccessfully attempting to jemmy open the door, the thieves smashed open a window, through which they finally gained admission. The till was prised open but it contained nothing of value, as all the money at the station is sent to the Auckland office at the end of each day. Nothing was found to be missing, but a remarkable feature of the crime was that the safe was not tampered with. The second case investigated by detectives to-day was the successful entry into a bulkstore of Donaghy'i Rope and Twine Company, Limited, in Carlaw Park Avenue. This took place either late on Wdensday evening or early this morning, and wai the third raid on the permises during the past, three months. The intruders smashed their way through the door in the rope walk and, after ransacking the store, stole a quantity of hessian bagc, which are for the packing of rope and twine. Nothing else of value was taken, and no traces of the attempt to enter lhe office were found by detectives.