MOTOR-CYCLE STEALING.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4392, 20 March 1922, Page 3

MOTOR-CYCLE STEALING.

TRICKS OF DARING THIEVES. WARNING TO OWNERS. There is every prospect of the insurance premiums for motor cycles being raised shortly, and one of the contributory causes of this is tfce widespread operations of the motor cycle thief (states an article in the London “Times”). There is no limit to his ingenuity, and although the police have done good work in rounding up many organised gangs, an official otf the Motor Union Insurance Company stated that in their experience there was still a large organisation in London for the disposal of both stolen motor cycles and cars, It. seems extraordinary, but this official is convinced that the greater proportion of motor cycles are already sold before they have been stolen. "The actual tlhiefi,” he said, “has the stolen machine in his possession for a few hours only in many cases. He steals the machine, meets the receiver at spme appointed rendezvous in a public street, the bicycle is handed over, and promptly buried' in some little back street building hardly worthy of the name of-a garage.” There are many places of this description in London, often just a converted stable run by a man who is a motor mechanic. He knows where he can dispose of a and

drops a hint to the actual thief. It is in these obscure workshops that the machine remains hidden while the official search goes on, and the interval 'of time is occupied in reconstructing the machine. “If a Triumph 'has been stolen,” the official said, “it will go to a man who has other stolen machines of the same make. T,he engines will be changed over, another magneto fitted in each, case, .the accessories changed, and when t|he remodelled machines come out the risk of detection has been largely lessened.” AUDACITY. Certain thieves specialise in certain makes of cycle, and as there are always people about ready to snap up bargains and ask no questions. the task of disposal is not a difficult one. There is no limiti to

tnu uai mg w*. ounjt v/i. ***~>., v'--in more than one instance a siplei machine has been sold to a genuin purchaser, and then re.-siolen froh him and sold again. The mtest audacious motor theft however, was that of a Ford van which was kept in a garage near th( owner’s house. A gang got in by : window late at night, spent the whol< night repainting the van another cpl ou’’, and in the morning boldly un did the garage door, and pushed th< car quietly down the road, in ordei not to. alarm the owner. But the] had failed to make sure that the cai was ready to be started up, and this owner took the precaution each nigh: of removing a. part of the ignitior circuit. When he found! the gar’ag« open and rushed out into the road there was his van, though it was some minutes before he could realist what had happened to its appearance Just, at present the percentage ol motor-cycle thefts is normal, bui; as soon as the motor-cycle season opens a perceptible increase is expected Private motor-cyclists who are advertising their, old mounts for sale as they receive delivery of the new model are fair game for the motor thiefi, and must) be on their guard against, any of. the foilowing tricks : (1) “Purchaser” asks to try solo machine. Owner naturally declines without deposit of purchase price. "Purchaser” says, "Oh, come along on the carrier.” Suddenly "purchaser’s” hat falls off, apparently accidentally ; he pulls up the machine quickly but keeps the engine running. O.wner naturally gets off carrier to retrieve cap. Away go “purchaser” and machine. ; (2) Thief answers an advertisement for machine for sale at a private house. Says he likes machine, but wishes to see one or two others: Is the owner in business in town ? If so he will call at his business address next day if he decides to buy the cycle, and the owner can then wire his wife that tlhe machine is sold and can. be taken away. Sure enough next day the wife receives a telegram from a post office close to her husband’s office. It says: “Machine sold, got cash, purchaser calling at 5 o’clock for machine.” The “purchaser” calls); the cycle goes, and not till the husband arrives later is the trick telegram exposed. One thief alone obtained some forty machines by this ruse. OTHER RUSES. A variant of the first, ruse is worked when the machine for sale has a sidecar . The owner is invited to show off its paces witKthe purphaser in the sidecar, and then, when in some quiet road, a .change is suggested. Before the owner can get into the sidecar he receives a violent push from the thielf, who is away with the outfit in a second.

Motor-cycle, and even cars, have been stolen under the nose of look-ers-on by the fallowing simple ruse. As the machine draws up at some business premises a stranger engages the ownei- in conversation on some pretext far some minutes. Then, when the owner goes inside, the stranger mounts She machine and goes off, leaving the’ impression on onlookers that he is a friend of the owner.

There is only” one way, in the opinion of the insurance experts, to safeguard one’s machine ip most circumstances—that is to rem'ove some vital part whenever it is left. Patentlockins.’ devices are useful, bull a pair of powerful pliers will frequently render them useless. “Now that values are falling, probably 50 per cent, oil motor-cycle thefts are collusive in character,” said the insurance official, "and the only way effectually to stop this thieving is to find the receivers; and give them stiff sentences.” Purchasers of stolen inotor-teycles have no claim to the machine, even when bough 1 in good faith, and should insist. on seeing a receipt for a machine, and being given the full reghtration papers before parting with any money.

IT’S. A MISTAKE. -— -eMany people in a misguided effort to get rid of backache rely on plasters, liniments, and ether makeshifts. The right treatment is kidney treatment, and a remarkably recommended kidney medicine is Doan’s Backache Kidney Pills. The following is an experience typical of the work of this grand remedy:— Mr J. L, Slader, Wood Street, Paeroa, says: “When benefit is gained in the way of health, it behoves a man to say how he gained it. Consequently I write to let you know that I received lasting benefit from the use of Doan’s Backache Kidney Pills. I took a course of this remedy for backache and weak back, and they effected a complete cure. 1 sincerely hope that all who suffer with kidney troubles will give this remedy a trial.’ Fourteen years later Mrs Slader says ; “Doan’s Backache Kidney Pills permanently cured my husband of backache, for he has been free from this ailment for fourteen years.”

A BAD TASTE IN THE MOUTH. It Is anything but pleasant to awake with a bad taste in the mouth. This always arises from a disordered stomach, and may be corrected by taking a dose of Chamberlain’s Tablets immediately after supper. Thej’ cleanse and invigorate the stomach, Improve the digestion, and give one a relish for his food. They .are easy to take and pleasant in effect. Sold by &H chemists and storekeepers,