NIGHT PROWLER

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 70, 13 November 1931, Page 5

NIGHT PROWLER

assault and.xheft: man disturbed in ac-t - of ransacking » - tent : :: MAKES OFF IN DARKNESS-' A sensational attempted robbery, ^ccompanied by a brutal assault, occurred in the Public Works camp at Waiohau Bluffs on Saturday night, when one of tbe workmen, Mr. B. Crooks was knocked partially uriconscious by a prowler whom he disturbed in the act of rifling his tent. Mr. Crooks was wakened by the presence of some person in the tent and found a man bending- over thfe bed, in the act of pulling some artieles of clothing from bengafbthe polloyjr. Immediately Mr. GrtftHcs stirred, hovjever, the intruder struck him a succession of violent blows 011 the head and face and made off into the darkness. Mr. Crook's tent companion, an clderly workman, who suffers from deafness, was not disturbed until the scuffle took place. Neither Mr. Crooks nor his tent companion had left the camp since Work at the bluffs commenced. in June, and it is believed that this fact may have led to the assumption on the part of the thief, that their accumulated wages were hidden in the tent. When a search was made following the escape of the intruder, it w'as discovered that the man had appareritly been in the tent for some little time before his discovery. He had removed Mr. Crooks coat and waistcoat from the end of the bed and • searched them outside, and had made t, thorough search of the whole of the sleering quarters. * The man was -mparently in the act of extraeting 1 Mr. Crook's-- trousers from beneath his pillow when he was disturbed, but had been unsuccessful in discoyering anything of value. - Mr. Crooks was struck a series oi savage blows which diseoloured botb his eyes and badly lacerated his face. He was partially stunned by the assault and did not recover until the intruder had made good his escape. The matter was reported to the Whakatane police who are investigating.