TEN-YEAR-OLD BURGLAR.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3660, 2 July 1927, Page 3

TEN-YEAR-OLD BURGLAR.

SERIES OF CRIME SOLVED

Christchurch, June 30,

The apprehension of a ten-year-: old boy burglar, at 2 a.m. on June 24, at New Brighton, has solved the mystery of a long line of thefts in flic seaside borough, and has unfolded an amazing story of a child’s daring. The youngster is again missing from the home of his parents, and the police are once more seeking his whereabouts. On the night of the boy’s arrest Constable Henderson, who had been keeping a watch on an untenanted house, was astounded to see a small figure approaching through the rain and cold at 2 a.m., under the shelter of an umbrella. He confessed to 22 crimes, including seven charges of breaking and entering shops, and one of attempting to break and enter. From the boy’s home the police recovered 19 volumes of Shakespeare, a large number of other books (including a “Lexicon of Freemasonary” and “Maxims of the Wise and Good”), 9/- in money in a canvas bag, packets of cigarettes, pocket knives, cash-boxes from gas meters, scarves, a pair of pincers, sweaters, gloves, crockery, and a large settler’s file. In“the daytime he was a second standard schoolboy; by night he was a cracksman. Constable Henderson had been informed by a resident of the Esplanade that an untenanted furnished house showed signs of occupancy by some unauthorised person. It had been found that one of the beds had been slept in by someone obviously too tired to remove his boots. In this bed, aftei his nocturnal escapades, the youngster had tucked himself under the warm eiderdown, so the constable watched the house, and the lad was arrested when making his bedtime rendezvous. His parents say that he had been missing from home for several days.

After his confession the boy was returned to bis home. On Tuesday last, however, at 4 pun., he scorned parental restrictions, robbed th* household gas meter of some 4/-, and bolted. Now he is on the wanted list.