TELEPHONE BOXES RIFLED

Hokitika Guardian, 26 March 1931, Page 5

TELEPHONE BOXES RIFLED

YOUNG MAN ESCAPES. CONSTABLE INJURED IN. STRUGGLE. WELLINGTON, March 24. What appears to be an organised gang of young men is operating in Wellington and the suburbs. Telephone cash boxes have been rifled over a period ol‘ several weeks and although one man has been convicted, the thefts continue. A special watch kept by the police late on Saturday night and early on Sunday morning resulted in a young man being caught in tlie act of tampering with a telephone at Berhatnpore. He resisted a constable whose hand was badly injured during the struggle and escaped in a motorcar, which was found later abandoned with 2s worth of pennies in the back.

Events moved quickly when the police got on the trail of the thieves. Late on Saturday night the Wellington police were notified that a motorcar, the number of which wap given had been taken from Majoribiuiks Street. A policeman in Hutt Valley took the number of a. car which moved swiftly away from a-telephone box as he came near; and an inspection showed that an attempt had been-made to break open the easbbox with a screwdriver or simil<r instrument. When it was ascertained that the number of the ear was that of the on<* missing from Wellington, detectives were immediately sent to Hutt Valley Tt was believed, however, tlmt the thieves made back to Wellington. City and suburban telephone boxes were watched and. early on Sunday the red light- on top of a telephone box at Be rha inpore went out. warning a constable that the instrument was being tampered with. He caught the man in the act, but- as stated, was unable to effect an arrest;