SENSATIONAL ARRESTS

Hokitika Guardian, 20 December 1929, Page 3

SENSATIONAL ARRESTS

EARLY MORNING CAPTURES (Chr i stcli u rch Times). CHRISTCHURCH, Dec. 19. Two youths, James Wilfred Gray, nineteen years of age, antTCharles Robert Gray, seventeen years, who live in' Antigua Street, were charged before Mr H. P. Lawry, S.M. yesterday, with breaking and entering Mr J. J. Brooke’s shop, 198, Manchester Street, yesterday morning, with intent to commit a crime. Charles Ronert Gray was also charged with being found with a .44 ealire rifle in his possession with intent to commit a crime. Mr Burns appeared for the accused. '1 he police stated that the accused were caught in tiie premises about 2 a.in. They were in possession of ma.sks, and one had a rifle, the barrel of which had been sawn off short. A remand was asked for on the grounds that oLher charges weie pending. Accused were remanded to appear 011 January 7th. Bail was not applied for. A SMART CAPTURE. CONSTABLE’S COOLNESS AND DETERMINATION. To Constable Albert Gillum, a young officer only recently from the police training school, the credit of the capture is due. It was stated by a prominent officer that he “showed courage, .intelligence and determination, and effected a singuarly smart capture.” Constable Gillum, it is stated, was on his beat about two o’clock, when lie noticed a man standing in the shadow of the Civic Theatre. His suspicions aroused, he hid in a doorway on the opposite side of the road and kept watch. Soon the man moved out of the shadow, and the watching offi..elsaw that he carried something in his hands which looked like a gun. He then noticed another man standing in the right-of-way interfering with a back window of Mr J. J. Brooxe's bootshop, which is on the opposite side ol' the right-of-way to the Civic Theatre.

His problem was to get close to the men without maxing his presence known and scaring the suspects away. It was here that luck helped him. The man with the weapon, who was evidently keeping guard, moved off down the street to see, it is supposed, if anyone was coming.

v-'onstabie Gillum then acted quickly. Grossing tiie street without the guard seeing him, lie came suddenly on the man in tne right-of-way and had him handcuffed before , lie recovered from his surprise. He awaited the return of the second man. Here' great caution was necessary, gs the man was armed. Patiently he waited in the right-of-way until the footsteps of the other man could be heard. He then stepped out suddenly and confronted., him.

Like his confederate, the man was taken by surprise and gave in quietly, it was lucky he did not become tiouble.sorne, as the weapon he bore was a sawn-.lf .44 calibre riflo.

Constable Gillum had no difficulty in getting them to the police station where they were formally charged.

KEY TO INCENDIARY FIRE MYSTERIES It is stated that the arrests made by Constable Gillum will result in the dealing up of a number of crimes which perplexed the police and public and caused a sensation throughout the Dominion. In July and August last there were a large number of burglaries and fires in Christchurch, and ex traordinary measures were taken by ihe police, partly under the personal direction of the Commissioner, air W. JJ. M’llve ilev, to detect the offenders. . -ese me sures were not successful in securing arrests, but they resulted in a diminution 01 the activities of the incendiarists. It is expected, as a result of information now given by the young men, that light will he thrown on a great many of the incidents. Among the fires concerning which ihe police are at present making sp iul investigation the following are mentioned: July 14—Fire at premises in Lichfield St., of Ring Harris and Co. Damage estimated at £23,000. July 21—Fire in store of J. M. Heyward and Co., Dundas St. Damage estimated at £IO,OOO. July 26.—Burglary and fire at residence of Rev. J. K. Archer, Tennyson St. Beckenham. Damage estimated at £2OO. August I—Fire at petrol bond of D. H. Brown and Sons, Limited, Carlyle St. Damage estimated at over £IO,OOO. August 25.—Sydenham Bowling Club’s Pavilion destroyed by fire. On August 9th it was announced that the State Fire Insurance Office and the Underwriters’ Association had offered a reward of £250 for information to be supplied to the police that would lead to the conviction of those responsible for the incendiary fires. - THE SHOOTING OF MR. E. HAMMOND. On -Tilly 16th. Mr E. Hammond, of Hammond and Turner, was shot and severely wounded by a burglar whom he had detected and overpowered while mhh’iio his store in Oxford Terrace. Mr Hammond was about to take the man to the police station when he was

•shot down at the door of his shop liis assailant making his escape. Hitherto this affair has completely baffled the police. It was not the work of any criminal known to tin detective force and the police surmiswas that .an amateur, presumably a young man, had shot Air Hammond ii desperation and had thereafter ejthe' left Christchurch or had remained inactive.

'The police now believe that they wil he able to clear up the affair comoiotely, ami that this mystery, also will be solved in the course of the jp.-.'.-fimitioi) following on the information now in their possession.