BOY KIDNAPPED

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 903, 21 February 1930, Page 15

BOY KIDNAPPED

SNATCHED UP IN LONDON STREET AUNT CHASES FATHER Police in London and different parts of the country are searching for a woman who is said to have stolen the infant son of Mrs. M. Culley, of «rayshott Road, Clapham Junction, says a recent number of an exchange. The boy’s name is John Raymond Culley, and is described as being much quieter than the average child. The woman was wearing a long black coat and a black, tight-fitting hat. She has a sallow complexion and dark brown eyes, and is sft Sin in height. The story of the kidnapping, and of a previous encounter with the woman and the father of the boy, was told by Sirs. J. Groom, the boy’s aunt. “Jackie was brought to me at my home in Palmerston Road, Sheen, on Sunday,” said Mrs. Groom. “On Tuesday he was stolen from me by a woman I had met at Coventry. On December 4, I went to Coventry with my sister, Mrs. Culley, to bring Jackie home. He was living there with his father, and his mother had just obtained a Court order giving her the custody of the boy. “Before going to the father’s address we called at a teashop for refreshment, and to our astonishment saw Jackie sitting at one of the tables with a strange woman. “While my sister stood by the table I went out in search of a policeman. Outside the teashop the woman protested that we had no right to the boy, but when we showed the policeman the court order he took us all along to the police station, and there Jackie was formally handed over to his mother. “We were escorted out of the police station by a back way, to avoid the father and the woman, who we knew were waiting for us, and a policeman saw us to the train. “Last Sunday the same woman called at my sister’s address, but asked for her by a wrong name. In the evening my sister brought Jackie to me, aud, as she has to work in the City to keep the home going, it was arranged that I should look after Jackie until after Christmas. “On Tuesday I was shopping with Jackie when suddenly his father appeared; from an alleyway. I tried to get away from him, but he caught up with me and said he only wanted to kiss the boy. I allowed him to kiss Jackie, but when I wanted to go home

with the child the father said I had no right to him. “We had a struggle for possession of Jackie, and in the middle of it the woman I had seen at Coventry suddenly appeared on the scene. She too. said I had no right to the boy, and while I continued to struggle with Mr. Culley the woman snatched up Jackie and ran off with him. “As soon as I could I gave chase, and follotved her into I'pper Richmond Road. There I lost sight of her; but I was determined to keep the father in view, so I chased him. I was ready to drop from exhaustion when I happened to find a policeman. I explained matter to him, and soon afterwards Mr. Culley and I were making our statements at Kew Police Station.

"The woman is a total stranger to me.”