ROBBERY UNDER ARMS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 386, 19 May 1908, Page 3

ROBBERY UNDER ARMS.

Armed and Daring Cyclists.

Stick up and fire on Pedestrians. Christchurch, May 18. Between twelve on Saturday night and one o’clock on Sunday morning a gang of three men, two of whom were armed- with revolvers. rode slowly along Fitzgerald Avenue, formerly the East Belt, on the outskirts of the city, ■on bicycles and ‘ ‘ held up ’ ’ every pedestrian who appeared likely to possess valuables. They started from the northern end of the Avenue and sighted their first uictim after going a little distance. They called upon him to stop and when he did so one of the gang hit him on the head with the butt of his revolver, wounding him severely and smashing in his hat. He then threw" him down upon the footpath while another man went through his pockets, taking about £2 in cash. The three men then hurriedly remounted their bicycles and proceeded southwards along the Avenue. They next encountered a gentleman, who, when called upon to halt, endeavoured to beat oil his assailants with an umbrella. They snatched a purse which the gentleman held in his hand. It contained about £\ in cash. While the robbers were busy with their victim the policeman on the beat strolled up. The men at once told their captive to keep a quiet tongue in his head or they would blow his head off and the constable’s as well. The constable approached and told the men to shift their bicycles, the machines having been laid down on the road when the attack was made. Notwithstanding that he had just been robbed of the threat was sufficient to prevent the victim making any complaint at the time. The next person to attract the attention of the night birds attempted to run away, but was stopped by a revolver bullet, which struck the back of his hand. He evidently thought further flight too risky and went homeward the poorer by 17s 6d cash and a gold watch and chain.

On the next attempt at robbery which occurred at about a quarter to one, the gang weie not so successful. They called upon a young man named Morey to stop, and on making a bolt for the gate of his residence one man fired at him, the bullet passing through his overcoat and coat and grazing one of his fingers. ARMED SUSPECTS ARRESTED. The police arrested three men at Sumner at noon, roughly answering the description of the men concerned in Saturday night’s outrage. All three are suspicious characters, and have been under police surveillance for some days. When arrested all were found to be armed with revolvers.