MASKED MARAUDER

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 512, 15 November 1928, Page 15

MASKED MARAUDER

BRUTAL ATTACK ON WOMAN COMPELLED TO WRITE CHEQUE (From Our Oxen Correspondent) , PUKEKOHE, Wednesday. I An elderly woman who Jives alone on the Great South Road at Ramarama was the victim of a brutal attack by a masked man, who after compelling her to write out a cheque, made off into the night. Retiring to bed between S and 9 p.m. ! on Monday, the woman, who 4s 08 years of age, was aroused from her sleep by a knock at the front door. To her inquiry as to whom it was, a man replied that a neighbour, whom he mentioned by name, wanted to speak to her. The woman dressed herself. but when she went to the front door found no one there. There was then a knocking at the back door. She. went to it. but on opening it could again see no one. She returned to the front door, but still no one could be seen. She then made a search of the rooms of the house, and discovered a man hiding in the bathroom, with the lower part of his face masked by a white handkerchief. On being asked what he was doing there, the man savagely attacked the woman, pushing her into an adjoining room. lie then demanded money, and searching the house, found half a crown, which he took. This did not satisfy him, so he demanded more, and intimidated the woman into writing him a cheque for £2 2s 6d The man then made off, but before leaving he made the .woman keep the electric lights burning until he whistled, as a sign that she could put them out. His object appears to have been to note, by the extinguishing of the lights, that she was still in the house. He would thus be aware that no alarm had been given, and that he would have so much time in which to make his escape. The assailant was described as being about 24 or 25 years of age, of medium build, and about sft 7in in height. He had dark clothing, and no hat, and a white handkerchief covered his face up to his eyes. The number of the cheque is 2A099320, drawn on the Union Bank of Australia, Ltd.. Auckland, for £2 2s t>d, in favour of “Robinson” or order, Robinson being the name the man gave. It is dated November 12. Anyone to whom the cheque is presented is asked to communicate at once with the police. Tho house stands some distance back from the road, and the man is believed to have made off on foot, as no sign of any vehicle was heard or seen.