A DARING THIEF.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9059, 7 April 1908, Page 5

A DARING THIEF.

AN EXCITING CHASE. BY TELEGRAPH - VHESS ASSOCIATION. AUCKLAND, April 6. A particularly daring meirber of the light-fingered fraternity turned his attention to the residence of Mr Charles Moon, of the Pah Road, Mount Roskill, at about 4 p.m. on Saturday. An extraordinary feature of the case is that Mr and Mrs Moon were at the time in the garden at the back of the house, while the children were in the house itself. As a result of subsequent investigations, it appears that the cause of all the trouble, after entering the garden, carefully lemoved his boots, which he placed under the front verandah. Then, entering the house either by the front bedroom window or by the back door, he made for the bedroom, and commenced the operation of taking into his own charge the more valuable contents of the apartment. His depredations were rudely interrupted by the entrance of Mrs Moon, tim*> only permitting of the execution of a strategic movement to cover under the bed.

Mrs Moon at once gave the alarm, and as her husband came to her call the man dashed out from his hidingplace, and made his exit by the front door. The ensuing race across country was replete with incident. The bootless thief, with Mr Moon close at his heels, jumped a wall and two barbed-wire fences, the pursuer being also successful in negotiating them. Observing that he was losing ground, the marauder doffed his coat, which Mr Moon picked up. Gaining a material advantage, the fugitive led the chase on to the Pah Road, but approaching Mr Worrall's property cleared a box-thorn hedge and set off again across the fields. Instructed by Mr Moon, a boy on horseback made an effort to block the man, who, however, was finally successful in gaining the cover of the scrub near St. John's College. The Onehunga police, under Sergeant Rogers, were immediately on the scent of the escapee, but although they searched until dusk, could find no tiace of the missing man. Yesterday detectives Cox and Skinner, of Auckland, superintended the search, which is also continuing to-day. After the abrupt departure of the thief, the jewellery, valued at about £4O, was found lying loosely under the bed, the intruder having been unable to find the sum of £2O, which was in the room. It is believed that the only articles missing are a Bengal razor, a flax k ; t, and 10s in silver.