Evening star., 1946-09-16
Brothers Held
|nWidespread
Auto Thefts
Four Chapel Hill
Arrests CIimux Drive
By FBI and Police

Federal Bureau of Investiga-
ton agents and Maryland police
yesterday climaxed two-month
investigation with the arrest of
four Chapel Hill md brothers
In connection with a big bust
ness" automobile theft ring,
whose operations in the Wash
ington area were first revealed
by The Star three weeks ago.
A raiding party of agents, Mary
land State police of the Waldorf
Barracks and Prince Georges County
police seized the quartet at 8710 Liv-
ingston road, Chapel Hill, not far
from the scene of most of the car
rings depredations in the southeast
section of Washington. The FBI
said no resistance was encountered
but two guns were conflscated. :
Three Have Records.
The brothers, all charged with
conspiracy to violate the National
Automobile Theft Act, are:
Maxwell David Swami, 20, former
/. mail carrier, with a record of liquor
law violations and several arrests for
investigation of assaults, hit-and-
run driving, larceny and burglary.
Joseph Griffin Swami, 33, with a
record of three sentences for liquor
violations and disorderly conduct.
Pennal Peter Swami, 26, former
truck driver, arrested in 1912 for
assault with intent to kill.
James Linkins Swan, 81, former
farmer, with no police record.
The four pleaded not guilty be-
fore United States Commissioner
Needham Turnage here this morn
ing and a preliminary hearing was
set for September 80 to permit the
accused to retain counsel. Commits
sioner Tumage set bond at $500
each.
All were held overnight in Wash
ington police precincts, the FBI said.
Washington police took no part in
the raid but their investigation of
thefts in the Livingston road area
may have played an important part
In the arrests.
Director j. Edgar Hoover of the
FBI said the men were suspected
when articles found in or near
stripped automobiles were traced to
them. AS revealed in The Star,
August Is, the rings method was to
steal automobiles, drive them to
lonely spots in Southern Maryland
and then strip the cars of all sale
able accessories such as tires, heaters
and radios.
Remnants of Cars Burned.
In some instances, Washington
police said, the thieves burned what
was left of the stripped automobiles
to erase evidence. Detectives of
the Washington Automobile Squad
estimated the rings operations
mounted into the tens of thousands
of dollars.
Police had definitely traced a
number of stolen cars to certain
areas in Southern Maryland and the
similarity in mode of operation led
to the arrests.
The FBI said that out of State
automobile license tags found in the
Swami brothers residence indicated
the gangs operations may extend
even further afield. Some tags were
in the original mailing containers.
Mr.. Hoover said the gang used a
method common to automobile
thieves for entering the cars they
intended to steal-breaking through
the mo draft" ventilator, y-passing
the ignition system with coil
jumper" and then driving away to
strip the car.
The articles which led to the ar
rests were oil cans, paper cup, a
popcorn box and several newspapers
The FBI credited Trooper Melvin
Gent of the State police and Police
men Wilson j. Purdy and John
Siddall of Prince Georges County
for the part they played in the in
vestigation.
Fences" Under Suspicion.
The FBI did not mention the
channels used by the ring to dispose
of the loot, but District police earlier
had said it was plain the thieves
were working on an organized basis
with fences" to get rid of the ac-
cessories. Detective Sergt. Jake
WOLF, head of the automobile squad,
believed the ring was organized so
that it would even accept orders for
accessories and guarantee delivery of
specified brands The gang ap-
peared to specialize in Chevrolets
and Fords. he declared.
For several weeks, Washington
and Maryland police set up plants"
in the Southeast section, hoping to
lure the thieves into stealing
police-watched automobile. Cars
were placed in the area where the
thieves had operated and detectives
kept night-and-day vigilance over
the cars. Members of the gang ap-
parently were too willy to fall for the
ruse.
Investigators spent weeks securing
the woods of Southern Maryland
studying burned and stripped hulks
of automobiles for evidence, before
the break came which resulted in
the arrest. Areas where cars were
found stripped and burned were
near Cedar Point, Morganza, Gales
VILE, ForestvilIe and other Southern
Maryland points.
The FBI did not reveal the num-
ber OF stolen cars because the in
vestigation is continuing.
Conviction carries a maximum
penalty Of a $4,000 fine and two
years imprisonment on each count