CRIME IN AUSTRALIA,

Waikato Times, Volume 112, Issue 18805, 29 November 1932, Page 10

CRIME IN AUSTRALIA,

AN AMAZING SIGHT. COINS IN BASEMENT. ■ln what is described as tiie 'biggest counterfeiting raid carried out in Sydney, detectives were confronted with an amazing sight in tiie false basement ol' a house in Milcliell-road, Alexandria. They found many thousands of coins stacked in the basement, in which were also several elaborate presses and large quantities of dies. The coins were mostly of florin denomination. hut here were also thousands of halfpennies. The police believe that they have located a master mind in coin counterfeiting. The raid was tlie result of months of investigation, Queensland and Victorian detectives being in the raiding party. They surrounded the small house and then smashed their way in, surprising a man inside. The detectives found a secret trapdoor, which led lo Hie hidden basement. Tho. collar was a false one. The thousands of florins were described liy -the police, as perfect counterfeits. They are hard, with a good ■percentage- of silver, it would he almost impossible, detectives claim to toil lliom from genuine coins. The coins were stamped, instead of being moulded, which is liic usual method. Tiie many hundreds of halfpennies in the- cellar were genuine. Tiie police allege that, experiments had been made to disguise Ihcm as shillings.

LOSS OF £3OO. CONFIDENCE 'MAN’S HAUL. A poignant story of having been robbed by a confidence Iripksier during the recent racing carnival of more than £3OO, representing all his savings, and a considerable sum which he. borrowed from a rcialive. was told to the police- by, a suburban shopkeeper, says a .Melbourne paper. ■lie had been left, without a penny, lie said, although “on paper" lie had won £2 1 00 in bets which the eonthlenee man had made for him but had not paid.' The man, who said lie represented a group of Sydney racehorse-owners, advised the shopkeeper to hack Turbine, which lie did when it won in Sydney at 7 to I. Then he gave, the man £IOO to back Balloon in Sydney, which also won at 8 to J, but the winnings were never paid. (in being assured that, lie would rereive a eheipie for £OOO within a few days. I lie storekeeper borrowed £•>(10 from a relative and gave if la the man to put- on 'Turbine in the Batman Stakes at Fleminglon. Turbine won. but lie- man disappeared.