The Hawaiian gazette., 1917-08-14
Twelve Autos Stolen and Wrecked
During the Past SixiWeeks
With No Arrests
POLICE STAND BY WHILE b.. .
THIEVES OPERATE DAILY
Insurance Companies Forced To
Send To Mainland For Detec-
tives For Own Protection

Stealing automobiles has become
one Of the pleasantest and quite the
safest of midsummer outdoor sports
known to Honolulu. In the past six
weeks twelve cars have been stolen and
not an arrest made. s. ...a.
The attractions of the game are the
ease with which il can be learned, the
freedom from risk, the many incident.
al amusements il provides for the play
ers, the fact that no outlay for para,
phernalia, is required, and that the
player is actually earning money while
enjoying himself. -r o.
To begin with, there is the excite.
ment of the theft itself Every small
boy who ever stole slice of cake
from the pantry, behind his mother
back, will understand that Then there
is the pleasure of ride through the
country, wen knowing that somebody
else is paying for the gas, the oil and
all the depreciation. III tar
Joys of Loot -........ .E, NsSg0
After the edge has worn of the Joy
ride, comes the pleasure of riding and
wrecking the car. If the owner has
brand new set of tires, good tools and
u
accessories, the pleasure rises in proper.
/ on to the richness of the haul. A
chappie never konws just how good IL
may be, and the uncertainty, don't you
see, adds zest to the search.
To wind up the whole party, the pre-.
ferred finale is either TO jump out after
turning on full power and watch the
car butt itself to death against a cliff,
or to run it over the edge of steep
hill and watch IL roll down, end over
end. The sensation is distinctly more
thrilling than watching head-on col.
lison between two locomotives in a
movie shocker. ..
Sheriff. Ha. Hat! .... ..,t
And all through the game, whatever
else he may be doing for the moment,
the player is chuckling TO think what
laugh he has on the sheriff. Poor old
sheriff, good old sheriff ,,ht n never have
q chance to guess who did It'll tEs ..
This humorons aspect Of the situation
doesn't appeal, however, to the iinsur-
ance companies. Two of the larger
agencies here have taken steps to Inn
port detective from the Coast, acting
on the admission of Detective Sergeant
Kellet yesterday that gang Of pro
fessional thieves is operating in Homo
lulu. And a substantial reward has been
offered for the arrest and conviction of
any one or more members of the gang.
List Of Robberies a@ a21l@lr
The principal robberies that have oc-
CURED in the past six weeks are:
A Dodge ear owned by G. M. l..
Nelson of the Hawaiian News Com
pany, was stolen from his garage at
Wilhelmina Rise July 20. 1t was
found August l about half mile from
the road in Kaukahanahua Gulch. The
tools a and speedometer were stolen.
Damage was estimated at $500.
The car of John I. Walker was stol.
en- three weeks ago at Diamond Head.
A spare tire was stolen and the car
was abandoned at the side Of the
road.
+. M. Prosser's car was stolen and
was found hanging over the edge of
the Pail with about $500 damage done.
The engine was completely wrecked,
and the cylinders were bored out,
which gives strong evidence that ex-
pert automobile mechanics are mem
bers of the gang.
Here's More and More
DIR. w. T. Monsarrat Is Ford was
stolen from in front of his home and
found imbedded at the side of the
road at Diamond Head. Evidently the
car was started at high speed and the
occupants leaped out before it collid-
ed with the bank. The headlights, ex'
ira tire and numerous accessories were
stolen from the car before it was driv-
en- into the bank.
A Ford ear owned by Bishop Henry
Bond Restarick was stolen from his
garage and was found up-side-down on
the side of the road near Schofeld.
s. s. Paxton, manager of Schuman
Carriage Company has faired worse
than the others. His car was stolen
twice. On each occasion the car was
found damaged and accessories re.
moved. ~ f.. "..a
A Buick car owned by william H.
McInerny was stolen Tuesday night
from in front of Il home at Punahou
and King Streets. The ear was found
by Chinese rice field worker Thurs
day afternoon completely turned over
in the rice fields at waikiki. The
magnetic, headlights and minor access.
cries were stolen. Pr"
James 0gg, manager of the machine
shop of the Honolulu Iron Works, had
his car stolen from his home, 2464 East
Manoa Road, and was found upside
down half mile off the WaiaIae Road
at Kaimuki.' All the tires had been
stolen from the rims and accessories
removed from the car.
E---s$s-