BURGLARY EPIDEMIC IN CHRISTCHURCH.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 January 1922, Page 7

BURGLARY EPIDEMIC IN CHRISTCHURCH.

MANY CASES REPORTED. AN ARREST MADE. During the last two or three weeks (says the Lyttelton Times) many cases of housebreaking have been reported to the Christchurch police, principally from the Fendalton, Papanui, Merivale and. St. Alban’s districts. A close watch was kept on Tuesday afternoon, about two o’clock. Constable Studholme, of St. Albans, arrested a man, twenty-five years of age, against whom probably between twenty and thirty charges of burglary will be preferred. Since this epidemic of housebreaking started the Christchurch detective force have had a very busy time trying to get hold of the offender, and at one time and anothei- every member of the force has been engaged on the affair. The detectives wetfe ably assisted by Constable Studholme. From inquiries made the police concluded that the burglaries were being committed in the afternoon or early in the evening, and other considerations led them to believe that the early part of the afternoon was the best time to try to catch the culprit. Shortly before 2 p.m. on Tuesday Constable Studholme saw a man in Holly Road who he considered was acting in a suspicions manner. An inquiry or two strengthened the constable’s suspicions, and he went to accost the man. who took to his heels. As the constable had a bicycle he‘ soon overtook the fugitive, who took off his coat and showed fight when he saw he was bailed up. However, after a struggle, during which the man threw away some jewellery, Constable Studholme managed to handcuff him. The constable sent word to the Christchurch office, and Detective-Sergeant Quartermain and Detectives Bickerdike, Sheehan and Le Sueur were quickly on the scene. The prisoner was taken to the Christchurch station, where he gave his name as Dawkins, and said he arrived from the North -Island only three or four weeks ago. He also informed the police Where he was staying. A search of the house was made, and possession was taken of a large quantity of jewellery, money, liquor, tennis racquets and other goods, to the value of several hundreds of pounds.

On Monday no fewer than six cases of housebreaking were reported to the police, though with so many people away on holiday at present it is not thought that they all took place the same day. The fact that so many people are away from home just now was also, no doubt, a help to persons inclined to theft, but as Chief-Detective Cameron pointed out to a Lyttelton Times reporter the other night, another Miing that aided dishonest folk was the fact°that people went away from home and carelessly left windows insecurely fastened. The chief detective said that he could safely say that this occurred in the majority of the present cases. An insecure window enabled a burglar to get into a house in the daytime without attracting attention, as he could effect an entrance with little noise,