THREE MEN ARRESTED AT PISTOL POINT

Taupo Times, Volume IV, Issue 187, 26 August 1955, Page 1

THREE MEN ARRESTED AT PISTOL POINT

Jewellery Shop Theft Watches and rings to the value of nearly £200 were stolen from the display window of Messrs J. A. Fenton's premises in Tongariro Street on the night of Tuesday, August 16. A piece of concrete, apparently obtained from the rear of the building, had been hurled througli the plateglass. v Several geothermal project buildings at Wairakei were broken into and several first-aid kits stolen. A car owned by Mrs Buckley Jones, of Wairakei, was taken and found abandoned near the W: L aikei-Atia-muri turnoff on the Wednesdav morning. Fragments of plateglas were found in it. About 2 p.m. on Wednesday Constables D. Mills and R. McNanghton arrested three men on the TaupoWairakei highway near the Karapiro Blowhole entrance. One of the men bolted and following a shouted order to stop Constable Mills fired a revolver shot over his head. The other two men were covered and handcuffed together.

Constable McNaughton then found the third man hiding behind a tree with a drawn knife in his hand. He disarmed and handcuffed hira. The men were in possession of watches and rings to the value of about £150 which were identified as having been stolen from Messrs Fenton's window, and also a quantity of other goods. All three men, who are believed to belong to Lower Hutt, were aged about 19 or 20, carried sheath knives and also wore knives in holsters strapped to their legs below their knees and under their trouyers. They had hitch-hiked from Wellington. Charges are pending concerning offences in the Lower Hutt area. The men were later remanded to appear in the Magistrate's Court, Rotorua.