BLAMED THE CAT

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 250, 13 June 1932, Page 5

BLAMED THE CAT

(Press. Assn.-

BURGLARS AT WQRK HOU SEHOLDER INTERRUPTS MASKED INTRUDER BY NIGHT LEFT HIS SHOES BEHIND

— By Telegraph — Copvright).

AUCKLAND, Saturday. A thief was surprised in two houses in the city during the early hours of • this morning, ahd in each case managed to escape. It is believed that the same man visited both houses.. The first place entered was a boardinghouse in Symonds Street near the police station. A man and his wife were suddenly awakened at 4.20 a.m., and saw a young man stealing a handbag from the drawer of a ' dressing table. Immediately be realised that he had been seen, he ran from tKe bedroom into the hall, and bolted through the front door, which he left open. He had disappeared before the star.tled husband had time to dress arid* give chase. Blamed the Cat "The burglar was evidently bare-' footed, as he did not make the slight-* est noise in making liis exit," said the husband in speaking of the matter his morning. "We have a cat named 'Bill' who often sleeps in our bedroom. When 'Bill' wants to get oiit ,ha usually scratches at the blinds and makes a slight noise. Sometinies he sleeps on a sachet near the dress-" ing table. At 4,20 this morning my wife heard a noise and thought if -was the cat, so she called out, " 'Get out, Bill.' This awalcened me, and insteh'd of the cat ti saw a man standing in' front of the dressing table. He had my wifs's handbag in his harid. Before I had time t& get out of bed he Silently siole to the door and escaped." The handbag was worth £3 10/-, arid besides £4 15/- in cash it containe.d" a bank book, keys, including those of a 'safa, and other articles. Maslced Man Been ... At 5 a.m, th'e house of Mr. James A. McFarland, 16 Domain Drive Road, was entered, but nothing was stolen, the intruder making such a quick esoape that he left his sand-shp.es on the front door mat. Within 40 minufes the burglar, who was discovered in the Symonds Street boardinghouse, could easily have reached Domain Driye Road via the Domain and Grafton Road. . .... Mr. McFarland _ said he was awakened at 5 o'elock'by his Alsatian dog eoming to his bedside and growling. Getting out of bed, he crept along the passage to the main hall, and saw .a youth disappear from another passage at the end of the hall. The intruder ran towards Mr. McFarland, who -truck him a blow on the shoulder as he passed. The man fell against the vvall, hut just at this moment Mr. Mc: Farland slipped on the, mat,: and so missed his ehance of grappling with ;he youth, who holted out of the fronf loor, which v/as open. He slammed the ioor hehind him, shutting Mr. McFarland and his Alsatian in the house. The intruder had disappearecTby.the time Mr. McFarland got outside, haying" run along the front lawn and jumped over a hedge. The Alsatian followed the scent of the man to a gap in the hedge. Handkerchief Over Mouth Mr. McFarland described the man as being between 18 and 20, slim build, about 5ft. 5in and about 9st. He was shabbily dressed and had a dirty white handkerchief tied around his mouth and a dirty hrownish-grey cap nulled down over his eyes. He was barefooted and carried an electric torch, which he lost in the scuffle. A pair of black sand shoes, tied together wex*e found by Mr. McFarland on the mat outside the froixt door. The theif could have left by the back door with less trouble, as he was riearer this entrance when first enconntered." It is surmised that he went to the front door to pick up his shoes.