THRILLING CHASE

Hokitika Guardian, 30 July 1929, Page 7

THRILLING CHASE

MOTOR THIEF PURSUED IN CITY STREETS. CLEVER STRATEGY LEADS TO ARRESTS. AUCKLAND,. July 24. Mr J. S. Freer, secretary of the Eden Chamber of Commerce, left tu.car parked in the city at 3 o’clock yesterday afternoon and a few min lies later he returned to find it gone. Less l.uui lour aiiu a nan houis uu.er -U Freer was in Symonds Street bound . the city in a car driven by Mr Shepherd. Every car they passed Mr Freei gave a searching glace, hoping b. some lucky chance to see his own. Tw< men were travelling down Symondf Street when Mr Freer said with excitement: “There she is, right ahead.’; “Are you sure?” asked Mr Shepherd, who was at the wheel.

“Yes; 11-866, mat’s my number.” The chase was on. Two hundred yards ahead the driver of the other cai little knew that he had been seen anc the owner was in hot pursuit, 'but h< was travelling fast- and the pursuing car lost grbund at a tram stop above Grafton Bridge. They chased on down Symonds Street, the fugitive being ir. clear view right ahead. To overtake the stolen car in a straight-out chase Mr Freer knew was impossible; it could lose the car that Mr Shepherd was driving. Mr Shepherd knew that, too, and showed his strategy. Alongside the bronze memorial of the Maori War at the top'of Wakefield Street Mr Shepherd swerved his car in ahead o’ the fugitive car and the other headed like lightening down the steep gradf towards Queen Street, Mr Freer suv the face of the driver and knew thai the man was aware of his predicament His skill ai a driver was beyond tion. In the next few seconds he was driving his car at sixty miles an hour Mr Shepherd swung round the othei side of the triangular reserve and entered Wakefield Street at the rear o

.-ie memorial. The sharp turn intLome Street was a serious obstacle U on ordinary driver turning from Wake field Street at high speed, but the fugi tive car rounded it safely and was pul ling up near, the back of St. James’) theatre when Messrs.. Shepherd, am 1 Freer again caught sight of it. In t moment the driver was out and run ing through a crowd in the main corn dor of the theatre. Mr Freer was al most as quick as he dashed through the ■rowd, hut lost his man. In such a place everything was in favour of. tin " ndividual he was chasing. Qu.ickb changing his plans he rushed back to ne car. Two women "ad a young mail were sitting in it, apparently a littk excited.

>. “You sit stillP’ Mr Freer ordered. an eye on them,” he asked ar official of the theatre. Across tlie streetihe secured a telephone and called the police. A few minutes later the three occupants of the car were taken in charge and escorted to the police station.

Mr Freer looked at the speedometer of his car and found that it had travelled over a hundi’ed miles since he had left it in Queen Street. The electric light bulbs with which he had it fitted had been blown out, hut had been rerdaeed and the car was in good running order. Although only a matter of a few minutes the chase was one of the mosf exciting that lias taken place, in the 'city. Its most amazing feture was the skill displayed by both drivers and the lowers of anticipation of Mr Shepherd in sensing the intentions of his quarry