A FAKED BURGLARY

Hokitika Guardian, 13 August 1929, Page 5

A FAKED BURGLARY

STORY BEHIND A PLEA OF GUILTY.

PALMERSTON N., Aug. I 8. Proof that, clever detective work is done in New Zealand was forthcoming in a case which had its conclusion in the appearance of a man in the Palmerston North Magistrate’s Court this week, pleading guilty to a charge of theft The case was only a small one, one that few people would hear of, yet it had all the ingredients of a firstclass detective story. ; '; • Early last week the Palmerston North police received information that premises in the town had been burgled, and a considerable sum of money'stolen. 'When a detective arrived on the scene he found all the signs of a genuine orthodox jburglary. Apparently the intruder had climbed up on to a window-sill, opened the fanlight, and then simply reached down inside, forced down the catch, opened the window and stepped inside. However, expert eyes, after a close examination, which a “Dominion” reporter who was also present, had an opportunity of observing, read a different story from'the signs that had been left behind. The outside of the window was very dusty, and the window was nearly flush with the wall of the building. It would ooviously he impossible for a) man to reach up from the sill to the fanlight without his clothing brushing against the window. Yet a careful examination of the window-pane: failed to reveal the slightest sign that the dust had been disturbed.

This in itself was suspicious, but Sn examination of the fanlight resulted in an even stranger fact being brought to light. On the outside of the fanlight were finger-prints. That was only to he expected. Naturally 'a man would leave finger prints if he pushed open a fanlight; but the peculiar thing about these finger-prints was that they were upside down! Then the window must have been opened, not by someone outside, but by someone from within the room.

This led to the assumption that the money had been stolen by someone who had .access to the premises, so the next step was an examination of the financial affairs of the employees. Suspicion then fell on one as being the person mostly in need of money. And an interview by the detective was followed by a confession, and the mystery of the “burglary” was explained.