TRAPPED BY ELEVATOR

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1030, 22 July 1930, Page 13

TRAPPED BY ELEVATOR

LONDON BURGLAR’S ORDEAL A GREAT WASTE OF BEER A man who was rescued by tlie police after his leg had been broken by being jammed between a lift and wall in a restaurant, which he had broken into, appeared on remand in a London court receutly. He was Percival Henry Coombe, aged 34, kitelfen porter. He pleaded guilty to breaking into the Holborn Viaduct Restaurant and stealing wine, spirits, beer, cigarettes, money, etc. A policeman stated that early on the morning of March 1, iu Green Arbour Court, Old Bailey, he heard cries of “Help!” coming from a goods lift at the rear of the Holborn Viaduct Restaurant. Looking through the grating covering the lift shaft, witness saw Coombs lying on the floor of the lift with his left leg jammed betwee/i the lift and wall. With great difficulty he was released and taken to St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, where It was found that his leg was fractured. Coombe’s pockets were stuffed with packets of cigarettes, a bottle of brandy, one of gin, and two of whisky. He also had in his possession five shillings, which he admitted he had stolen from the till in the bar. He was detained in hospital six weeks, and on his discharge was taken into custody. He then made the following statement:

“On this night I had been drinking with a friend, and when we had only ninepence left I said we would go to Spiers and Ponds’, where I used to work. 1 jumped on to the grating over the lift, and found my way into the place. I went straight to the bar, found a. bottle of Scotch whisky, which was open, had a swig, and then went to the till and took live shillings iu copper. I couldn’t find the keys of the safe, so I started to sample all 1 could. I had a smoke and soon became very drunk. “I have a hazy notion that I turned on all the ber taps, drank by own health, and stuffed packets of cigarettes into all my pockets. I was properly drunk by now. i got to the top of the lift and pulled the cord. The lift came up, and when I stepped on to it 1 could not stop it. One of my heels got jammed and I got crushed. All I could do was to call out for help.” It was stated that as the result of the beer taps running there had been wastage to tlie extent of over £27. The drink, etc., which had actually been consumed on this occasion was valued at over £2. Coombe expressed regret for his conduct, and said that drink was the sole cause of it. He wished to thank the police—not only for rescuing him from his dangerous plight so promptly, but for the kindness to him all through. A detective gave Coombe a good character, and the Bench, taking into account prisoner’s sufferings, stated that it was considered that he had already been sufficiently imnislied. He was bound over for 12 months.