THIEVES AT WORK.

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXIX, Issue 213, 17 September 1934, Page 5

THIEVES AT WORK.

Burglaries in Waipukurau. YATES’ STORE BROKEN INTO POLICE STOP CAR AT TAKAPAU Seeing two men filling a car with, petrol from a pump outside Mr F. Wells’s garage about 3.30 o’clock this morning, the nightwatchman (Mr E. Price) became suspicious and went to investigate, when the men noticed his interest in their movements, they immediately jumped into the car and drove off toward . Takapau.

Mr Price noted the registration number of the car, and seeing that the lock had been torn from the petrol pump, informed Constable D. H. Sutton, who communicated with Constable P. Mullan, of Takapau.

Shortly after 4 o’clock, Constable Mullan found the car on the main road just outside Takapau, with two young men standing beside it. At his approach, they made off over the paddocks, and in the darkness, succeeded in eluding the constable. In the car was a large quantity of tobacco.

When Mr H. De Lacey, manager of the Waipukurau branch of Yates’ Cash Stores, went to work this “’morning he found that the premises had been entered through a skylight at the rear of the storeroom, and practically the whole stock of tobacco stolen. The skylight had been smashed. The safe had not been tampered with, and, as far as could be ascertained, nothing except tobacco had been taken. The thieves had made their exit through the front door, leaving the yale lock snipped back. It was also found this morning that Mr W. Boyer’s billiard saloon had been broken into. The intruders had attempted to force a door at the rear, but had abandoned that, and had eventually got in through a window, which was not fastened. Nothing was taken.

The car, an old Essex, with registered number plates, 82167, is believed to be one which w T as stolen from Wellington on Friday. Constables Sutton and Alullan are conducting a search for the missing men, but so far no trace of them has been found.