CROOKS AND COILS

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 484, 13 October 1928, Page 28

CROOKS AND COILS

Pobcc Radio Operators With Powerful Sets In Speedy Cars, Keep In Touch With Headquarters .45 They Drive

The way of the transgresser is proverbially hard, and since •rtie invention of radio it has become a great deal harder than it was when communication was less good. Ever since wireless helped to catch Crippen, crooks have cursed Marconi; but it is only of recent years that radio anywhere has been brought to the aid of the police so much as it has now in Australia.

'Flic first police patrol installation in Australia was carried out by Amalgamated Wireless (A/sia), Ltd., in October, 1922. when a receiving set was fitted in a patrol car of the Victorian Police Department. A telephone transmitter was installed at the company’s radio station, Melbourne, and the excellent reception results obtained on the car and the success of the installation as an aid to fhe police in the prevention of crime and in capturing criminals was such that 12 months later the department purchased two fast cars and had both of these fitted wib wireless. The Victorian Police Department has recently installed transmitting sets on the patrol cars, in addition to receiving sets, in order that the members of the patrol cars can telegraph headquarters from the car instead of having to leave the car and use the ordinary telephone for speaking to headquarters, as was the previous practice. The transmitter now installed at police headquarters, Russell Street, for communication with the patrol cars, has a power unit of 2 kw. and is used for the transmission of C.W., in addition to I.C.W. The set has a very effective range, and daylight tests have been succ.essfullv intercepted as far away as Newcastle, N.5.W.—524 miles. The City Council power supply is utilised, but in case this fails there is an emergency plant consisting of a 4 kw. petrol engine A.C. generator. The receiver, at the head station, comprises one stage of radio-frequency amplification, detector, two resistance-

coupled audio-frequency amplifiers, and one limiting valve. The normal aerial is 70 feet long, but for working through heavy induction and static an underground aerial is used consisting of 150 feet of cable buried a few inches beneath the ground. The transmitters on the police patrol cars consist of single-valve, short-wave sets, using a voltage of 750 volts from a rotary transformer or dynamotor running off the car-starting battery. The chopper motor and the filaments are also fed from the car starting battery. The range of the transmitter exceeds 50 miles. The sets give C.W. or I.C.W. transmission as required. INVINCIBLE EQUIPMENT. The receivers on the patrol cars are of the very latest type, and none of the wireless equipment on the cars is visible from the outside except the operator’s head-phoijes, which, however, are usually concealed by his cap. The police headquarters transmitter and patrol car transmitters and receivers were manufactured in Australia. The equipment is operated by nine first-class certificated operators, who have had wide experience with all sorts of wireless apparatus, and they are sworn policemen with a good knowledge of police patrol work. The police patrol cars are continually on the move and, having two-way communication facilities, are ready at a moment’s notice to answer a' call of a member of the public for police assistance. The average time taken to answer calls is five minutes. Since the

employment of certified operators there has never been ail instance of delay or neglect in answering a call nor has one message been missed by the receiving operator. On receipt of a telephone message the police headquarters are able to give instructions to the patrol by wireless. A few of many instances where wireless on the patrol cars has resulted in early action being taken by the police .ore set out hereunder:— CAR THIEVES CAUGHT. In the early morning at St. Ivilda, No. 2 Patrol, learning that four men in a stolen car had left on their way lo Richmond, wirelessed No. 1 Patrol to keep a look-out for car No. with four men, which left St. Kilda 20 minutes ago for Richmond, to which T °- 1 Patrol replied: “Keeping watch.** The latter patrol a few minutes later sent a message to No. 2 Patrol by wireless: “Four men arrested, car recovered.** Police headquarters sent a message to No. 2 Patrol at 2.30 a.m. at Prahran: “Six men creating disturbance in Road, Caulfield. The patrol set off at high speed, and jghile travelling at over 60 miles an hour another message was received as follows: “Mrs reports that men have now broken a window of a house and stolen a car No. .** The patrol intercepted the men making away from the scene at speed, recovered the car, and arrested the offenders. At 2.10 on a certain morning Head Station seqt a wireless message to No. 2 Patrol: “Malvern Police report two men broke into a garage and stole car No. . One man arrested, but one escaped in car.” The patrol hastened to and searched the district, located the car and gave chase, eventually capturing the car and arresting the thief. CAR FOUND BEFORE LOST. At 11.30 on another evening Head Station wirelessed all patrol cars the number and description of a stolen car. At about 4 a.m. No. 2 Patrol intercepted the stolen car going with three men travelling at speed through Albert Park. After a stern chase at 60 miles an hour the offenders slowed to 20 miles an hour and three men jumped from the car which, left uncontrolled. smashed through a fence. The three men were arrested, and the proceeds of an hotel robbery were found in the car. The owner of the hotel was unaware that his premises had been broken into until advised by the police patrol. Many other instances could be quoted, but the above are sufficient to show the great value of wireless in police work.