BICYCLE-STEALING.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 129, 24 February 1908, Page 7

BICYCLE-STEALING.

' ' ALLEGED SYSTEM. I > (Bt TtSLEOBin:—SrECIAt. CORRESPONDENT.! Chrlstchurisli, February 22. • ■ ' Bibycl6 : stealing has'boen an epidemic in-Christ-church for. years, but tho poSico yesterday mado an arrest .which may havo tlio effect 1 of :: chcclring the practico. Tho mail • arrestod had broil responsible -for the theft. ;. • of two motor bicycles and a largo 1 number oi:. bicycles;', and ho had • secured: tho use of a - ; ;forgo. oil a'- farm'* out at ■ Yaldhurst, at '.which to alter tho liiachirios so that;fchoy could not bo identified by their owners. 'His-custom-was to sell the stolen 1 bicycles after they had , been " doctored " to casual, who ■■ wero wiljing to securo a cheap bicycle with-■ out asking questions; and lie seems to haVe conducted quito a largo business along these . lines. Somo days ago two dotectivosvisitec i tho farm at Yaldhurst and niado a search ol the forgo used by tho_ suspcctod man.. Thoy found four bicyclos in various stages of alteration, and parts of other machines,''-as well .as a motor bioyclo that had been stolen, in tlio city.' ..Tlio man himself was absent, and his whereabouts could not be ascertained, but a search was • instituted, and yesterday ho wasarrested ill. Manchester Street. The "Times" ' •says that tlio statements mado by the man aftor arrest,: and: tho results of "a further"search of his belongings, mado the chain of cvidenco fairly complete. .He ,indicated to 1 tho police where another stolen motor cyclo could bo recovered, and amongst his bolong- ■ ings wero found receipts for money received in- connection with tho salo of-a "number of bicyclos. : ' o-