The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-08-01
DRASTIC ACTION TO HALT
CRIME WAVE ORDERED:
SWEEPING ARRESTS DUE
10 Picked Squads Put on
Duty: Roundup, EdiCt
Of MorriSSey.
AUTOS TO BE STOPPED
Plea Is Made to All Citizens
to Cooperate in
Drive.

With ten picked, heavily
armed squads in the van
guard, Indianapolis police this
afternoon struck decisively to
crush the business district
crime wave that has yielded
$500 in loot from 20 safes
during the last month.
Chief Mike Morrlssey issued terse
orders which, in effect, made every
person in Indianapolis a suspect.
Squads we're ordered to patrol night
and day A general roundup of per-
sons frequenting gambling places
was ordered.
Detectives we're told to arrest all
persons who can not offer proper
Identification. Heavy bail was or
dered for all such persons held.
The city was divided into five dis
trlcts within which the llnprece-
denied drive will be conducted.
Action Follows Criticism
Search Of suspicious automobiles
was authorized. The chief warned
against relaxing the drive at night.
The patroling squads we're told to
maintain guard over Office buildings
and other places having safes and
vaults.
The search for suspects will be
conducted in all places suspected of
being bookie establishments. Every
person found by the squads in such
establishments will be closely uues-
toned and searched ANY person
failing to supply complete identifica-
ton will be held on vagrancy
charges.
The police drive came on the heels
of criticism of the police depart
ment. Chief Morrissey has held sew
eral conferences with Mayor John
w Kern. Following the first con-
ference Mayor Kern announced that
the chief had assured him addi-
tlonal detectives squades had been
assigned.
DEGREES S-Hour Shifts
Chief Morrissey directed that one
uniformed sergeant be placed in
charge Of each cruising squad. Two
patrolmen and one detective SER
geant will complete the squad.
Beer taverns, suspected rooming
houses, blind tigers" and similar
haunts of criminals will be visited
and if necessary raided, Chief Nor
riSsey said.
Squads will work from 2 in the
afternoon until 10 at night. They
will be relieved at 10 by the night
crews. The night patrol will work
until s.
An appeal was made for citizens
cooperation to break the crime
wave. The chief said, IN view Of
the completeness of the drive. in
nocent citizens are likely to be
stopped and questioned. He ap-
pealed to citizens not to become in
censed in such instances.
IFInLS round on Safes
The order virtually takes thu
crime wave situation away from
the detective division.
Meanwhile detectives searched
through thousands of flngerprints
IN an effort to trace the safe crack
ers. Prints have been found on
blasted safes. it was said, and are
being compared with bertillon
records.
Sheriff Otto Ray disclosed that ne
and his men have been devotilg
practically all Of their time during
the past three weeks to the safe
cracking cases. Sheriff Ray an-
nounced that he had pursued at
least one investigation in another
state. He said his investigation
would continue
Records Carefully Studied
Chief Morrissey admitted today
that Notwithstanding an intensive
search no reliable clew had been
found that would lead to the yeggs,
The records of all paroled con-
Wet safe blowers are being carefully
studied Several recently paroled
yeggs are being sought for question:
ing.
The boldness of the gang leads
the authorities to believe its menu
bers are experts. Most Of the safe
breaking jobs have been in down.