The Bridgeport times and evening farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924, 1918-01-15
STOLE { 80
AUTOS; IS
ARRESTED
ThOs. Malone
Captures in a Smith
Street House Head
of Gang of Automobile
Thieves; Sold Stolen
Cars Outside n. Y.

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
80 valuable machines.
Local police authorities began
working on this case as far back as
last October when a valuable car was
brought to Bridgeport and given to a
man named James Walters to sell at
the ridiculOusiy low price of $500.
Walters sold it to a man named
Stouts, who is employed by the
American Tube & Stamping Co., and
then took the money to New York
where he met member of the gang
by appointment and turned the money
over to him, receiving SIS 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 elected the information that he
usually hung around a pool parlor
located at 116th street and Lenox av-
eItue, New York city. He was then
asked if he knew man by the name
of Peter Donovan, and Immediately
told the detective that Donovan was
in Bridgeport. Donovan's arrest fol-
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 dea,
| more of the stolen property can be
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
| flivvers of any make and only select
ed the high powered and costly We
hicles. 1t is also thought that the
| gang used a garage or some plant
| where the cars were at times painted
| a different color, fake license plate:
| attached and otherwise camouf1agei
| for the purpose of throwing the au,
thorities off the track
| Some of the cars that have beer
| recovered were discovered to have
! the numbers on their motors remov.
| 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
then change the color, etc, after
| which they took it out of New York
| state. Then they selected town and
made several trips with the machine
to that town, getting acquainted with
fsome of the sport inclined youngsters
! WuOLn luey lOOh JOY AANiAAS- LII Ii4H
manner they got acquainted and had
little difficulty in disposing of the
stolen property.
In the case of the two men, Johr
L=-jen and Henry Schroeder, who
were arrested last night and though
to be members of a gang of gunner
1t develops that they worked fol
Frank Dunn and Patrick Reilly, whc
conduct a garage in Hoboken, N. ]
Some time ago they made off will
a Ford Sedan car belonging to Dunn
and Reilly, who trailed them tt
Bridgeport and came upon the ma
chine last night in front of the New
York, New Haven & Hartford Rail
road depot.
...e',-e2 the arrests were made, it wa
claimed that the men were armed
and .32 calibre revolver was fount
inside the car. Lutjen and schrode
were held in $500 bond until Jan. II
but 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.