SYDNEY MOTOR BANDITS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 9 May 1925, Page 9

SYDNEY MOTOR BANDITS

WEEK-END HOLD UP Tiie police, are still looking for '.lie motor bandit, who perpetrated a daring hold-up on a suburban road cm Sunday (•veiling (writes the Sydney correspondent of the Auckland Star, under dale April 14). The victim was able to give the police a accurate description of the bandit, resulting in the man being revealed by police records as a. well-known criminal. The affair was. well planned. Shortly after 8 o’clock a quietly-dressed, obviously cultured young man walked into a motor-hire service, in the city and asked for a taxi to take him to his home atConcord, one of tho western suburbs. The ear was furnished, the driver bring William Griffiths, residing in tho city. Nothing was said until about 9 p.m., when tiie ear was. nearing Concord. Here, in a lonely locality, where the road passes between the water on one side, and is skirted on the other for a great- distance by timber yards, the passenger told Griffiths to turn the ear round. He did so, and, with the car stationary, turned to catch tho glint of a revolver barrel pointed at. his head.

Griffiths decided that in such a. lonely spot, where there was no hope of finding any assistance, even should ho risk a struggle, it would be useless to offer any resistance. The bandit demanded bis money, and lie produced a. wallet containing JL7 in cash. The robber’s next demand was that Griffiths should show him the intricacies of tho car. Subsequent events showed that the highwayman was well accustomed to ears, but, evidently not being acquainted with this particular type of vehicle, he was determined to take no risks of being frustrated by engine trouble in the dangerous business upon which be had embarked. Then, apaprentlv satisfied with the- instructions hq had received, and with a final threat to Griffiths lie climcd into the driver’s seat

and drove off, leaving the legitimate driver of the ear staring after him along the lonely road. Griffiths immediately communicated, with tho police. Meanwhile, a big red car, similar in description to ( - the .one that had been stolen, drew in front of the grocery establishment of William Grayland, at Burwood. A man entered the store and m’esented a revolver at, the proprietor with a curt “Hand out the money.” Thou noticing some show of dissent, he added quickly a sinister warning, “Don’t touch the telephone.” Sparring for iimo, Grayland got behind the counter of the chop. Mrs Grayland now came upon the scene, and terrified tit the sight, of the armed highwayman, screamed out. Her cries were ft card by pass-ers-by, who rushed towards the shop, hut before they realised the significance of what was going on the, man had glided past them into the. street, started the car. and driven off. The police patrol scoured the district throughout the night. Shortly after midnight their search was rewarded by the discovery of the ear, abandoned in good order. The search for the man was prosecuted in the neighbourhood with renewed vigor, but without success.