THE NEW CRIMINAL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4577, 20 June 1923, Page 3

THE NEW CRIMINAL.

■—— -• : SWINDLING instead of violence 'DUPING THE RICH. The new type of criminal, as depicted by Sir Leonard Dunning, Inspector of Constabulary, in his annual report.is '•eally a greater danger to society than the old type. “Crimes of violence have steadily decreased for years,” says Sir Leonard. .“Modern crime is civilised and educated, because the criminal of today knows; that it is far, safer and more profitable to swindle hundreds than to rob one by knocking him'' on the head.” A prominent authority on police ;■ and crime explained to a "Daily'Dail” reporter the reason for thi® change in the methods % and style of criminals. “There are hundreds of professional criminals at large in England whom the police know well but are powerless to arrest,.” he said. "They are men and women who derive very large incomes by trading on the extraordinary credulity of a certain section of wealthy people. "These criminals are well educated, well dressed, well spoken, and they stay in the best, class of hotels, spending money like water. They engineer all kinds of bare-faced swindles, from the confidence trick to running bogus firms or wild, cat schemes which are supposed to bring speedy fortunes to their intended victims. “In the vast majority of cases the swindlers are not prosecuted eithe. because of the difficulty of proving - fraud against them or because the people victimised do not care to expose their own stupidity in the police courts. “Crimes of violence are silly and usually profitless, and they are more easily brought home to the offender.’