Police Temporarily Puzzled by Detached Pieces Robbers who go about Shanghai with Imitation pistols sometimes take special precautions against being charged with possession of such "weapons."
Two Chinese were arrested in Dixwell Road near Hanbury Road on Friday by Detective Sergeant J. Bradley of S. M. Police Headquarters fas suspected robbers. When their house was searched two short pieces of iron piping and two strange 1ooking wooden rectangles were found. The detectives, however, were puzzled only for a few moments—the pieces of piping, which were blackened with soct, fitted perfectly into metal clamps attached to the wooden rectangles. Put together, the pieces formed two ighly convincing imitation pistols.
The purpose of dividing the "pistol" Into two parts is simple. When two robbers go out to loot, one carries the handle and the other the barrel of the imitation gun. If they are caught and searched, the two pieces are found Jseparately and may not arouse the suspicions of the police. At any rate it could not be said that either robber carried an imitation weapon.
"The two-men were brought before the First Special District Court on Saturday and an application was and granted for their temporary detention as they were strongly suspected of being concerned in robberies in the Seltlement. The same court yesterday sentenced five men who were arrested by Chengtu Road Station police in an alleyway off Avenue Edward VIT several days ago. During the period of remand, these men were found to be concerned in three armed robberies and accordingly charges were specified against them. Three of the accused pleaded guilty and yesterday they were sent to gaol for five and half years each. The other two accused were released for lack of evidence.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.