MYSTERIOUS VANMAN

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10279, 14 May 1919, Page 6

MYSTERIOUS VANMAN

THEFT OF MATS FROM GOVERN,O MENT OFFICE.

Scotland Yard are searching for a rather stout, fresh-ctmiplexioned man with a slight impediment in his speech (states a recent London paper). The man drove up in a van on Saturday to the offices, of "the Publio Trustee in Kingsway, chatted with the night watchman, went to get a meal, strolled leisurely back, filled up his van with 261 foot-mats, 28 rugs, and a Brussels carpet, whistling merrily the while, aud then departed with his haul, which is valued at w£2oo. It appears that tho man, who was accompanied* by a youth, was wearing a white apron and bowler hat. nnd had what purported to be an Office of Works pass authorising him to collect mats for the i cleaners. As a matter of fact, some 600 mats had just been returned from the cleaners, and were lying in convenient bundles. After returning from his lunch the man, with tho*. boy, methodically, filled the van. "We have not recovered any of tho mats," said an official. "Someone must have known that they had been returned from the cleaners the previous day. Even- one of the mats has either 'E.R.' or 'G.R.' as part of the design. Bo that I do not see what the thief can do with them."