SENSATIONAL ARREST

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 90, Issue 13, 16 January 1946, Page 3

SENSATIONAL ARREST

DETECTIVES TRAVEL BY AIR TO GISBORNE THREE MEN CHARGED WITH THEFT OF £5OOO (P.A.) Auckland, Jan. 15. Detectives investigating the recent robbery at Chinese premises in Grey’s Avenue, when a safe containing £5OOO was stolen, quickly followed up the arrest of two men early this morning by travelling by air to Gisborne and then by motor-car to Ruatoria to make a third arrest. This is one of the few occasions when in New Zealand the police have used aircraft to make an arrest.

After the first two men were arresteq it was decided that no time should be lost in seeking a third man, who was believed to be at Ruatoria. The Air Force authorities were communicated with and an aircraft was made available to the police. During the morning, Detectives Cromwell and Russell left Whenuapai, arriving at Gisborne at noon. They immediately left by car for Ruatoria, 84 miles to the north. Shortly after their arrival there they arrested a man who will be brought to Auckland to appear in the Police Court charged with breaking and entering the Chinese premises and stealing a safe valued at £5O and £5OOO in money. At about 1 o'clock this morning detectives in Auckland arrested Patrick William Farrell, aged 28, freezing worker, and Kwok Sing Tai, aged 55, a Chinese market gardener. They appeared before Mr. J. Morling, S.M., charged with the theft, of the safe and money. They were remanded. When the burglary was first reported to the police it was stated the money in the safe amounted to about £BOO, but early this moiviing the police learned from the Chinese that the sum was £5OOO. Apart from £2OO in silver, which was in a canvas bag, the £5OOO consisted of banknotes. The police recovered the silver from under a bed occupied bv a Chinese.