Quick Detective Work in Rarotonga

erected on each plot immediately.

Quick Detective Work in Rarotonga From Our Own Correspondent RAROTONGA, Dec. 10.

ON the evening of Sunday, October 11, Tainitu Orani, a Tahitian living in Rarotonga, carried out a daring robbery at the Avarua premises of Messrs. Jaggerand Hervey Ltd.

Thirty-six hours later he was apprehended by Mr. A. Carlyon, chief of police, to whom much credit is due for his quick, accurate deductions from the most slender of clues.

First breaking into the manager’s private residence, the thief secured the keys of the store and, mounting his bicycle, rode rapidly away. His speed attracted the attention of Mr, Carlyon, who happened to be passing at the time. The latter, flashing a torch on the man’s back, observed that his coat was marked by yellowish stains.

The following morning it was found that £54, together with a small quantity of goods, had been stolen from the store, the doors of which, as well as the office safe, did not appear to have been tampered with.

A search of various suspects’ houses revealed the coat with the yellow stains — which corresponded exactly with the water-paint used on the manager’s outer walls. From here the chase led to a village seven miles away, where the owner of the coat swore that he had spent the evening in question. Here, the police made a thorough search of the accused’s premises, with the result that the entire amount, less 6/4, was recovered from various hiding places.

There remained only the missing bunch of keys; and these the thief now confessed to having thrown into the managerial “privvy.” With poetic justice, he was sent down this to retrieve them!

Tried before Judge Ayson, Tainitu was