Below is a selection of historical stories from the Northern Advocate (1931), New Zealand Herald (1932), Rotorua Morning Post (1941), and the Central Hawke’s Bay Press (1948).
Thieves scared
Woman discharges gun.
Intruders flee.
(Special to “Northern Advocate.”)
Northern Advocate, May 1, 1931
New Plymouth, this day.
On Tuesday night a severe fright was given to some thieves at a farmhouse by a woman who discharged a shotgun at them while they were in the act of removing stolen goods from the premises of Mr. J. Gibbs, of Wharehuia.
At 10 o’clock, when Mr. Gibbs and some friends were listening to the wireless, Mrs. Gibbs went to the back door.
As she opened it, she saw someone moving stealthily near the garage.
She called to her husband, who, however, did not hear her above the noise of the wireless.
Remembering that there was a shotgun just inside the door, Mrs. Gibbs rammed a cartridge into the breech and sent a shot a few yards in front of the intruders, who promptly dropped what they were carrying and made a hurried exit.
A search near the front gate revealed a tin of petrol, a grease gun, and a packet of butter.
Daring petrol theft
Locks on pumps broken.
134 gallons removed.
Discovery in Wellington.
[BY TELEGRAPH.—Own correspondent.]
New Zealand Herald, June 27, 1932
Wellington, Sunday.
Thieves broke the locks of two petrol pumps in the city and stole 134 gallons of petrol yesterday afternoon or evening.
A group of three pumps, owned by Magnus Motors, Limited, stand in Opera House Lane, which runs down the side of the Grand Opera House from Manners Street to Wakefield Street.
The locks of two of the pumps were found by a nightwatchman to have been broken and the. fact that a large quantity of petrol had been stolen was soon discovered.
The third pump had not been touched.
After the locks had been broken the petrol was evidently pumped from the tanks into a waiting vehicle or vehicles.
The discovery that the locks had been broken was made at 9.45 p.m., but it is not known when the theft occurred, or how the petrol was taken away.
The attendant locked the pumps at noon, and between that time and the discovery of the crime, 134½ gallons of petrol were stolen.
Petrol stolen
Motor-cycle thief warned about seriousness of his offence
Young labourer fined £7
Rotorua Morning Post, March 1, 1941
The suspicious proximity of a motor-cycle to a car in Pukuatua Street and a strong smell of petrol attracted attention to a motor cyclist which resulted in the taking of his number, and, finally, his appearance in the Rotorua Police Court yesterday afternoon charged with the theft of two quarts of petrol.
The defendant, Leslie Terence Lang, aged 18 years, pleaded guilty, and was fined £1 by Messrs. J. J. Dillon and T. H. Sloane, Justices of the Peace.
Detective Sergeant J. White stated in evidence that the offence occurred last Saturday evening.
He had warned Lang of the serious nature of his offence and pointed out that the car might have belonged to a doctor, in which case the loss of the petrol might have had disastrous consequences.
He had advised the defendant to sell his motor-cycle as it was an expensive luxury to a farm labourer earning £2 a week.
Petrol thefts
Central Hawke’s Bay Press, February 26, 1948
Petrol thefts from cars, a prevalent wartime practice, are again being freely reported in Dunedin.
At least three centennial visitors who left their cars out at night found the tanks dry in the morning.
Automobile Association officers believe that with the reintroduction of rationing, thefts will recur to an even greater extent.
The heavy drain on service station supplies created this week by the centennial events, was the probable cause of the thefts.
– Source: Papers Past