Republican farmer., 1918-01-18
STOLE SO AUT0S;;I IS
 ARRESTED
Detective ThOs. Malone Captures in a Smith Street House Head of Gang of Automobile Thieves; Sold Stolen Cars Outside N. Y.
Tuesday, Jan. 15

Tuesday, Jan. IS
 What is considered to be one of the most important arrests made in Bridgeport within re- cent times was effected today when Detective Thomas Ma lone, went to 374 Smith street, and took into custody Peter Donovan, of New York, who is said to be the leader of a gang of auto thieves operating in New York city and credited with the theft and sale of over 60 valuable machines.
 Local police authorities began working on this case. as far back as last October when valuable car was brought to Bridgeport and given to a man named James Walters to sell at the ridiculously low price of $500. Walters sold it to man named Stouts, who is employed by the American Tube & Stamping Co.,, and then took the money to New York where he met a member of the gang by appointment and turned the money over to him, receiving $15 for his trouble.
 Walters returned to Bridgeport and obtained employment with Stouts in the American Tube & Stamping Co., s plant. Yesterday Detective, Fitzpat- rick from New York questioned him and elicited the information that he usually hung around a pool parlor located at 116th street and Lenox av- e1fue, New York city. He was then asked if he knew a man by the name of Peter Donovan, and immediately told the detective that Donovan was lowed immediately.
 Of the sixty cars that have been stolen by the gang and disposed of in states adjoining New York, the po- lice have recovered no less than thir- ty and it is thought that with the thieves rounded up that a great deal i more of the stoleW property can be i located and recovered.
 According to the evidence revealed by the investigation the auto thieves were very choice in their selection of cars. They did, not bother with | f1ivvers of any make and only select ed the high powered and costly ve- hicles. It is also thought that the gang used a garage or some plant where the cars were at times painted a different color, fake license plates l attached and otherwise camoufaged for the purpose of throwing the au- thorities off the track.
 Some of the cars that have been | recovered were discovered to have | the numbers on their motors remov- l ed with a cold chisel thus making it almost impossible to identify the machines by the factory numbers.
 The methods employed by the gang were to hide the car for some time, l then change the color, etc., after 1 which they took it out of New York state. Then they selected a town and made several trips with the machine to that town, getting acquainted with some of the sport inclined youngsters whom they took joy riding. In this l manner they got acquainted and had little difficulty in disposing of the stolen property.
 In the case of the two men, John Lutjen and Henry Schroeder, who were arrested last night and thought to be members of a gang of gunmen. It develops that they worked for Frank Dunn and Patrick Reilly, who conduct a garage in Hoboken, N. J. 1 Some time ago they made off with a Ford Sedan car belonging to Dunn and Reilly, who trailed them to Bridgeport and came upon the ma chine last night in front of the New York, New Haven & Hartford Rail- road depot.
 When the arrests were made, it was | claimed that the men were armed, and 32 calibre revolver was found inside the car. Lutjen and Schroder were held in $500 bond until Jan. IT. bus it is said they will be. turned over to the Hoboken authorities be- fore that date and will go to the Ho- boken courts to stand trial.