Early-Morning Chase

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 117, 3 June 1937, Page 4

Early-Morning Chase

BURGLARY ATTEMPT Two Men Disturbed in Shop at Waipukurau ESCAPE IN MOTOR-TRUCK A daring attempt by two young men to steal ahout £250 worth of goods from the electrical supply shop of L. Hawke and Co., Ltd., Waipukurau, was frustrated by the unexpected appearance of the borough nightwatchman at 1.35 this morning. While he entered the premises from the back, the intending hurglars left by the front door and disappeared in separate directions. Before being disturbed, however, they had piled up a large assortment of electrical goods near the front door, It was thought that they intended to carry the goods off in a half-ton truck, which was later seen by the nightwatchman. The safe, a heavy one was shifted from the front office a few feet nearer the main entrance. Although it contained no money, it held all the records of the firm, and its loss would have been a serious one. Two large radios, seven table-model radios, a sewing-machine, two washingmachines, 11 radiators, two electric kettles, an iron kettle, an electric clock, and a quantity of parcels not yet opened by the firm comprised the pile of goods which the intruders had collected from various parts of the shop to a locality near the front door. At 1.35 a.m. Mr E. G. Price, nightwatchman, was walking along Ruataniwha street. When passing the shop of L. Hawke and Co., Ltd., he heard a noise from inside. The front door was secured, so he went round to the rear of the premises. The back door was open and on his entering the shop two young men ran out the front door. Mr Price later described these men to the police as being between the ages of 20 and 25, about 5ft. 7ins. in height, and wearing dark suits but no hats. On reaching the street the two men went off in different directions, one towards the Post Office and the other towards Northumberland street. Mr. Price chased the latter man, who, on reaching the intersection of Northumlandt and Russell streets, was picked up by a half-ton truck which had been driven along Russell street from Herbert street. This truck, according to Mr. Price, was green in colour. After realising that he could not apprehend either of the men, Mr. Price informed Constable D. Sutton, who promptly began his investigations, and these are still in progress. An endeavour is being made to locate a green model A Ford half-ton truck and anybody knowing the whereabouts of such a vehicle will be doing his or her duty by informing the nearest police station. This is the second attempt at breaking and entering in Waipukurau this year. Last April an attempt was made to steal a large quantity of tyres from J. L. Brathwaite Ltd.'s motor garage, but the intruders were disturbed before making away with the goods. L. Hawke and Co. Ltd.'s shop is a few yards down Ruataniwha street from the Post Office. That the attempt to steal was a particularly daring one is revealed by the fact that the thieves would have found it necessary to drive their truck right along the main street to the shop in order to take away so large a quantity of goods, some of which would have had to be lifted by two men.