Train Robbers Moved To Greater Safety

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30978, 7 February 1966, Page 15

Train Robbers Moved To Greater Safety

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter —Copyright) LONDON, Feb. 6 Four of the Great Train robbers were in a new top security gaol last Friday after a heavily-guarded secret dash across England in a police convoy.

They were surrounded by 35 policemen—some reported to have been armed—and four guard dogs when they arrived at Parkhurst Gaol on the Isle of Wight, off the South Coast. Douglas Gordon Goody, the “brains” of the gang which netted £2.5 million in the 1963 mail train holdup, and Roy (“The Weasel”) James were moved 300 miles from Durham Gaol in Northern England, where they had been guarded by armed soldiers since rumours that an attempt would be made to break into the gaol to free them. The other two, Roger Cordrey and James Hussey were transferred from a maximumsecurity prison in Leicester. Fifth Member A fifth member of the gang, Thomas Wisbey, was switched from Durham to Leicester, where he joined Robert Welch. All the men are serving 30-year sentences except Cordrey, who was imprisoned for 14 years. From now on the four train robbers in Parkhurst will be guarded by an intricate system of alarms, with television cameras constantly scanning

the outside walls and the exercise yards inside. “Smoke Screen” Mr Alec Muir, the Chief Constable of County Durham, interviewed later on television, said that when he gave a newspaper interview in which he referred to “limited atomic weapons,” he was aware that the move on the train robbers was to be made on Thursday night.

He did not mean to use the words “atomic weapons” when he spoke of possible attempts to free the men from Durham.

“Were you, in fact, part of a very clever smoke screen being put up by the authorities to distract attention from a possible move?” he was asked.

Mr Muir replied, “I would rather put It more simply because we are not as clever as all that. It seemed quite a good idea.” " Did you know on Wednesday evening the robbers were to be moved?”—“Yes, indeed.” “And were you trying to distract attention?” —“I think it was fairly successful.” Asked if he objected to "being made a bit of a monkey,” Mr Muir replied, “it has happened so often ... no not a bit.” CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING For a nominal cost. ‘’THE PRESS” daily readership <>f MORE THAN 68.500 FAMILIES ensures the right people, at (ho right time, at a price you can afford. BUSINESS OR PERSONAL.