Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-10-01
POLICE UNCOVER
ORGANIZED BAND OF
MOTOR CAR THIEVES
Abandoned Machines Give Clue
and Warrant is Out for
Master Mind"
HAVE LONG OPERATED HERE

An organized band of automobile
thieves believed 10 be responsible for
most of the cars stolen in Whining
ton the past 12 or Is months has been
unearthed by the police. The place
where the stolen machines were
stored and the name of the man al the
head are also said TO be in the possess
sion of the police.
Warrants have been issued for the
supposed ringleader, whose name
when made public, it is said. viii ere
ate surprise in, automobile circles
AT the same time that the information
came into the hands OF the authorities
the man is said to have disappeared
and at present cannot be located.
For months the police have suspect
ed the existence of an organized band
IN connection with the many automo-
olies stolen not only in Wilmington.
but In Chester, Philadelphia, Baltimore
and smaller towns. Here and there
slight clues to the theory cropped up.
About two weeks ago evidence. which
is now believed to be correct. was
uncovered. However, no action was
taken and the authorities Jay low in
an effort TO catch the gang in action.
On Thursday night report was re-
ceived at police headquarters that
several men We're acting suspiciously
about stalled automobile in the vici-
nifty of the ruins Of the wilmington
Leather Co. plant, at Silverbrook. A
squad of detectives and uniformed
men jumped in patrol car and hur-
ried to the place, but arrived too late
to catch any of the persons, although
there were two abandoned automobiles
standing in the roadway.
One OF the automobiles was a Stutz
and the other Westcott. According
TO the police, a supposed member Of
the gang was in the act OF driving the
Stutz out of town when il stalled APP
parently for lack of gasoline.
While the driver was sitting there
second machine arrived and the driv-
er of the latter got out and consulted
with the driver of the stalled car.
Only few seconds elapsed when the
men noted the approach OF the police
automobile and abandoning both ma
chimes took TO their heels. The police
made thorough search OF the neigh
borhood, but not trace OF the men
was discovered. Shortly before MORN
ing an Italian was taken into custody
and questioned. Breaking down under
the police grilling, he is said 10 have
given valuable information on the
strength of which warrant was
sworn out for the man he named as
the master mind" The Italian was
later released.
The Stutz touring car was owned
by the keil Automobile Company.
Eleventh and Tatnan streets, and was
stolen last month while the westcott
was stolen from Philadelphia and was
the property OF Henry f. Engler Of that
city.
The latest case reported to head
was the stealing of a touring
car belonging TO Joseph Mammele.
wholesale dealer. of SOC Poplar street,
from in front of the Municipal Build
ing on Thursday evening. A complaint
was also received this morning that
a Ford touring car. the property of
Louis Cohen of Chester, Pa, was
stolen in that city and the thieves
were believed to be headed in the di-
rection Of Wilmington. The Ford had
Pennsylvania license tag No. 1904.