SERIES OF BURGLARIES.

Shannon News, 22 June 1928, Page 3

SERIES OF BURGLARIES.

IN PAEKAKARIE3, OTAKI, AND MANAKAU. For the past few weeks petty thieving; has been carried on in the Otaki district, but large hauls have not been made. A box of butter was missed from a local factory, and bran, potatoes, and the like taken from private rcsidenc::-. Last week Mr. Campbell's shop at Paekakariki was entered and articles taken, while during Sunday night Mr. C. Cooksley's butcher's shop at Otaki was entered and the sum of about £."; in notes, silver, and copper, taken. Entrance was gained through a back door. Suspicion was fixed on a young fellow who is said to have arrived from Woodville, and 'Constable Satherley immediately communicated with the police in Wellington, it being stated that the man had left for the City in a motorlorry. It is understood that an arrest has been made and the theft admitted. On Tuesday morning at about 10.30 a man, thought to be a half-caste Maori, an escapee from the Porirua Mental Hospital, entered the residence of Mr. F. S. Simcox, on the Manakau road, and stole a 6-chambered revolver, torch, a cheque, and a pair of slippers. Mrs, Simcox was outside at the time, and on returning to the house saw tha' something was amiss, and immediately went for assistance. The locality was searched but no signs were seen of any person. The man, who it is believed, has been in the locality for a week, was seen to go across paddocks into Manakau. There he visited Mr. iSeott's store, cashed the cheque, part ,of which was spent at the hotel. A man, thought to be the one wanted, was yesterday seen at Ohau, going north.