ALLEGED THEFT OF £l200

Hokitika Guardian, 23 October 1931, Page 8

ALLEGED THEFT OF £l2oo

SEARCH FOR CONFIDENCE MEN. k AUCKLAND, October 21. Active search is being made in Australia for four men who it is alleged robbed a farmer of Waiotira, North Auckland, of £I2OO by means of a confidence trick. , The money was obtained about two months ago on the representation that one of the men was the agent for a property in Ponsonby, which would be purchased by a glassworks company. The men received cheques, and withdrew the money from banks at DargavilLe and Auckland, and within two days they had joined a Sidney-bound steamer at Wellington. By the time the Auckland police were made aware of the trick, the steamer had arrived at Sydney, and the men had vanished. Their movements in New Zealand were traced, and the police forwarded descriptions to the New South Wales authorities.

On September 24th., a map was arrested in Sydney and appeared in Court on another charge. He was alleged to be one of the men concerned, and was remanded to October Bth., pending extradition to New Zealand. Bail was allowed in the sum of £3OO, and this was renewed when the man again appeared before the Court on October Bth. Meanwhile, DetectiveSergeant A. McHugh, to whom all the wanted men are k nown . was travelling to Australia to escort Ahe arrested man to New Zealand; but before his arrival at Sydney the man absconded from bail, and his whereabouts are now unknown to the Sydney police. Search all over Australia is being made for him and his companions.' \