DARING BURGLARY.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20106, 9 December 1930, Page 6

DARING BURGLARY.

SENSATIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES. [THE PRESS Special Service.! AUCKLAND, December S. Under sensational circumstances the residence of Mr Mourin, at Mataraua, about five miles from Kaikohe, was forcibly entered on Saturday evening. Mrs Mourin and her two sons were in Kaikohe, and Mr Mourin was alone in the house. About nine o'clock he heard a tap at the back door, but took no notice of it. About two seconds later he heard a loud knock, and, taking a benzine lamp, he went to the door. On opening it widely so as to step on to the porch, a man dressed in working clothes, and with a handkerchief tied over his face, stepped forward and struck him a blow with a hammer on the head, rendering him unconscious. It was some timo before Mr Mourin recovered consciousness, and when he did so he found his hands tied with rope, but not so securely as to prevent him from loosening them. Ho heard the intruder ransacking the house, so he went to a shed and found a gun, but could find no ammunition. He returned to the front of the house, and tho burglar emerging at that moment, caught sight of him and re-entered the house. Mr Mourin walked about two miles for assistance, and when he and his companions returned the burglar had departed, taking with him between £2O and £3O in cash. lie had ransacked tho house, smashing crockery and breaking open and considerably damaging several trunks which contained clothing, the contents being scattered in all directions. Mr Mourin has apparently suffered no ill-effects from his experience.