THIEF HAS TEA

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 874, 18 January 1930, Page 16

THIEF HAS TEA

LONDON’S COOLEST HOUSEBREAKER PURSUERS OUTSIDE CAFE London’s Coolest Housebreaker, who leisurely drank tea while his pursuers waited on the pavement outside, figured in a remarkable chase last month. He was a young man who, in the guise of a window-cleaner, visited Kelvin Avenue, a turning off Green Lanes, Palmers Green, N. He forced open the window ot a house, the occupants of which were away, and stepping inside made a quick search for valuables. After picking up some money, he was disturbed by neighbours who had arrived to clean the house, A hue and cry was raised and the man was chased to the main road. The pursuers there lost sight of him, but were told by a woman that a man who dropped some money and went on without picking it up had gone j >nto a coffee shop. The pursuers went into the shop, j where the man was drinking a cup of tea. The proprietor w'as informed i of the situation, but neither he nor j the pursuers were certain that the > man was the suspect. After being in the shop for about I ten minutes the man paid his bill | and strolled quietly ou-t of the shop, j

as IffImNPHPNWaMMe | His calmness deceived the people out- | side, and he jumped on an omnibus I proceeding toward Palmers Green, i The proprietor of the shop then I saw that the man had left on his seat ! a rubber-covered jemmy. The hue j and cry was raised again, and the | pursuers ran after the omnibus. “I Will Shoot” The man, who was standing on the step of the omnibus, put his hand in hi 3 pocket and said threateningly, “If you come on further, I will shoot.” When the omnibus had travelled about 50 yards along the road, he jumped off and ran up Elmdale Road, a turning off Green Lanes. As he leached Palmerston Crescent, which runs parallel with Green Lanes, he again ingeniously eluded pursuit. Instead of turning into the crescent he ran up a passage beside a house at the corner. Turning round the house, he then crossed Palmerston Crescent, leaving his pursuers looking for him in the grounds of the house. He then ran into the back garden of another house, made his way beneath the aqueduct which carries the New River, and reached Bowes Road. He was there challenged by a young j man who had been in the chase, but ! after threatening to blow out hisj brains he shook off his pursuit for I good.