POCKET-PICKING RIFE.

Otaki Mail, 12 January 1923, Page 4

POCKET-PICKING RIFE.

THEFTS IN WELLINGTON. | A new and alarming menace to the | general public has made its appearance • in Wellington (says the X. Z. Times).’ It is in the form of a series of thefts j by pickpockets, and all indications j point to a gang with a scientific me- j thod of procedure. Holiday time is always bound to find big gatherings attracting the attention of these gentry, and it is on such occasions that the police foree redouble their vigilance and detectives refresh their memories from the rogues’ gallery portraits of people with “fingers so fly,” which line the shelves in their offices. Once seen those people who have more tlian a passing acquaintance with a police court dock are kept under rigid surveillance. But on this occasion ii would appear that some of those operating are not as yet intimately known to the police, or have managed to slip through the holi day net. During the past week they have made quite a substantial haul and, in all probability, have lifted much more than is known. A TRAIN INCIDENT.

On Thursday last a gentleman board ed the Auckland train at Thermion station with a well-lined wallet. He was busy saying the usual farewells upon the platform when he fell himseli being jostled by an individual whose appearance lie in no way fancied. In fact the actions of two men upon the platform, one a stoutly built fellow and the other a swarthy man of medium size seemed to him to be unusual. In the midst of a chorus of good-byes, however, he thought no more of the incident until aboard the train, when examining his money he found that two £5 notes from about £IS in money which lie "was carrying were missing. He is positive that lie had the money in hi s possession when he arrived at the station, and is convinced that he has been the victim of a smart pickpocket. He has not, ns yet, reported the incident to the police. AT THE ATHLETIC BARK. The next incident of this nature occurred in Courtenay place on Saturday evening. Here, it was reported, there were two attempts at theft of the less refined order of purse-snatching, one of which was successful. Neither of the cases has been reported to the police. More important still, however, was an incident which took place at the Athletic Park. It is but fair to say that there is no reason to connect any one crime with the otherTo tire Athletic Park affair a trustworthy gatekeeper, who had in his possession a considerable sum of money, proved the victim. The visit of the American athlet.es attracted a considerable number of people, and he remembers noticing a man who was passing back and forth a great deal more often than, in the gatekeeper’s opinion, was necessary. He spoke to the fellow on the mater, but-not before he had been jostled roughly by somebody, and only a few minutes later discovered that he had been relieved of £lO in the neatest fashion in the world POLICE ON THE TRACK. A MAN ARRESTED. t At once he reported the matter to the ; committee and the police, and investi- J gations by the men in blue commenced. Several suspects were kept under observation up to tiic time of leaving the Park, and two young women in whose company one suspected man was seen were also the objects of police attention. ; A later development of the affair at , Athletic Park transpired when a man j named James Williams, alleged to have committed theft by pocketpieking. was ! arrested by Detective Revell on Satur-: day evening.