THIEVING TOURISTS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IX, Issue 662, 6 November 1902, Page 21

THIEVING TOURISTS.

Referring to a nexy dodge that Hotel thieves have adopted, the London “ L.V. Gazette ” says that it is quite clear that hotel-keepers will have to keep an eye on I the young bicyclists xvhp are in the habit of putting up at wayside- places from Saturday until Monday. Many hotel robberies have recently been reported, and it has been difficult to find out the delinquents, but, thanks to the barmaid of the Lord Hill Hotel, Bexley Heath, one, at least, of the number seems likely to have been discovered. The-young man in question was brought up before ehe Dartford Magistrates last xveek charged with stealing jewellery belonging to the landlord of the value of £45. The accused, it appears, arrived at the hotel on Sunday as a cycling, tourist,, and sojourned till the Monday evening, xvhen one of the barmaids xvas surprised at seeing him come out of the landlord’s bedroom. Not being sat isfied xvith bis story that he had gone there at the landlord’s request to obtain a postage stamp, she xvent doxvnstairs with the intention of acquainting the landlord. Meanwhile the accused made his xvay out of one of the upper xxdndoxvs, and dropping from the ledge ineo the hotel yard, secured his bicycle and rode axvay at a quick pace. The alarm xvas at once raised, and Mr Bird, the landlord, gave (base on his cycle. The cyclist attempted to elude pursuit by concealing himself in a nursery, but he xvas eventually caught. On being brought before the magistrates recently, Detective Inspector Hailstone .asked for a further remand, aa informat on had been received that prisoner xvas wanted for hotel robberies at Folkstone, Hastings, Middlesbrough, Westcliffe-on-Sea, and London.

A certain section of our community are credited, perhaps wrongly, xvith adding to their daily prayers the xvish that God will bless the mugs. For similar reasons to which this pious xvish is attributed, we may conclude that the burglars xvho are now in our midst call down a blessing on the man xvho invented fire-escapes. ♦ * o i

“ The luck of a Chinaman ” will soon be an out-of-date saying, if we can judge it by the loss of the Ventnor, and the report that the premises of Sing Kee Jang, Queen-street, xvere burgled one night last week and over £lOO in < ash taken. a