Search Mores to Waitarere

Chronicle (Levin), 26 March 1946, Page 4

Search Mores to Waitarere

No Arrests Yet Made FURTHER CAR FOUND With the coming pf daylight this morning oue of the most intensive manhimts in the history of the Dominion began for the three bank robbers, all of whom are now beiieved to be in the Levin area. A party of thirty constables and detectives drawn from Wellington, Palmerston North, Levin, Otaki and Foxton under Inspector H. J. Joyce, of Palmerston North> are carrying out the operations. This morning a posse of afhcers combed the area between Ihakara and Koputaroa, where the men are beiieved to have been, but without success. All the main highways and subsidiary high\yays are blocked byo the police, who are making a careful check of every passing car. In addition a watch is being kept on the railway stations in the area and on passipg trains. A further important development this morning was the disjcovery of a red Hudson eight ! car abandoned on the Hokio- ; Waitarere Road, just off the entrance at the Waitarere Road end and facing southwards. A rumcur is current that beside this car the police found an army greatcoafc and a sugar bag in wLich was a pair of sandals and a mask. It is also beliered that a Sten gun, ammuniticn and a .45 revolver were discovered nearby. Linked with, the finding of this car is information that at about 6 p.m. last evening two men called at the farm of Mr. A. Bagrie, on Waitarere Road, asking him for water to drink and assistance in puliing their car out of a drain. He gave the water, but was unable to help with the vehicle, whereupon the men made off. As a result cf this police activity from the middle of the morning onwards was transferred to the sandhill country in the Waitarere area. Inspector Joyce returned Jo Palmerston North late this morning. Up to 1 p.m. to-day no arrests had been made. Yesterday when returning from Levin to Shannon, two young men saw the Buick car which was chased by Constable Haresnape parked at the side of the road on the Buckley Hill. Parked behind it was a large red coloured Hudson. At the* time the sole occupant of the Buick was leaning out of the door conversing to two men in the red car. It wculd, therefore, appear that shortly afterwards two of the men proceeded south in the Hudson car, over Tavistock Road to Koputaroa and out to Waitarere Road, where they abandoned the car. The other man in the Buick ^.Iso travelled scuthward to be intercepted by Constable Haresnape. There was intense police activity in the Waitarere area this afterndon. The Buick car was taken into Shannon • this morning and aroused considerable interest there. The Buick straighf-eight car which was abandoned at Ihakara last evening, and from which the police saw one of the men decamping, was owned by Mr. P. Kusabs, Mayor of Rotorua. It was taken from a Wellington garage and its number plaies had been removed. The grey car used for the robhery and later found on Weightm&n's Road, belcnged to the Health Department, and was also taken from Wellington.