THE YEAR IN CRIME

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 21, 26 January 1938, Page 6

THE YEAR IN CRIME

SCOTLAND YARD'S RECORD

The year which ended yesterday has been notable so far as Scotland yard i;> concerned for the headway made in the prevention as well as in the detection oi crime, isaid "The Times" on January 1.

In the country as a whole there were 40 murders during the year, this number being Jess than half that for the previous year Only one of them buttled the police, who, were unable to find the person responsible for the death of Elsie MacMahon, the .woman found dead in the Hat oft" Euston Road. The description of a man with whom th:: police wished to get-into touch was circulated throughout the country, but he was not traced.

Scotland Yard detectives were successful in many directions, however, and in particular their efforts to break up gangs of blackmailers, forgers, and sharepushers resulted in the conviction of many men who were known to be living on the proceeds of crime. By co-operating with the City police they virtually put a stop to the activities of sharepushers.

Though he had for many years

lived by robbing people in London suburbs of relatively small possessions | tho man' who, because of his habit of wearing material over his shoes to deaden his movements, was known as "Flannelfoot" successfully defied all attempts on the part of the police to bring him to justice until quite recently. When at last he found himself cornered iie^ made no^ effort to deny his guilt, and since his imprisonment there has been no recurrence of the particular type of crime in which he specialised.

On the administrative side of Whitehall police headquarters' many new features have been introduced and the use of wireless communication greatly developed. Thus it is now possible in almost every part of London to geh a mobile isquad of detectives sent within a few minutes of a telephone call to Scotland Yard. Criminals contemplating an exploit know this as well a3 other .members of the public, and are inclined to: Hesitate before taking risks which they formerly took with impunity. As a result of the increase Of the use of wireless and the-transference of calls formerly dealtwith in- the first Instance by local police, the staff of the special department- at Scotland Yard dealing with requests for 'assistance in cases where crime is witnessed or suspected has been enlarged,' 'and' more police motor-cars are now equipped with wireless receivers... . ,