During the encounter, a few stray bullets hit the window panes on the ground-floor of the residence of Mr. and Mrs. L. W. Walkinshaw at 106 Tunsin Road and are understood to "have damaged some pictures. Fortunately no one was injured as the family was in bed at the time.
In the house immediately behind, which is occupied by Nr. and Mts. Peter Taylor, a number of windows, which had been left open were pierced by one bullet and here too no injuries were reported.
Police were busy yesterday investigating the case and experts from the ballistic department were taking photographs and made every effort to identify the weapons used by the gunmen, from the cartridges found on the scene.
The western district is being patrolled by strong police units day and night in an endeavour to prevent the recurrence of armed robberies and hold-ups which have been on the vast increase ever since the Japanese have taken over the territory. The vicinity of gambling dens and opium dens has attracted the worst criminal element of this city to the district and the number of armed robberies, larcenies and hold-ups have increased to such alarming proportions in the last few months, that men on patrol in that district have been armed with sub-machine guns and sawn-off shotguns, as it is known that the gangsters are armed.. with - rifles, "Mauser" military pistols and hand-grenades.
It was anticipated for a number of weeks that eventually the police would actually face one of the gangs and last night was the first time that an actual battle lasting only a few seconds took place. Amongst the various gangs operating in the Japanese occupied area, one in particular is known to the police and is said to consist of upwards of 40 thugs, all of whom are well-armed and who have perpetrated the majority of armed crimes on Settlement roads in the western district during the past few months.
The most audacious hold-up occurred on the evening of December 28, when 12 foreigners were forced to alight from their cars on Columbia Road and were robbed of all valuables they had on their Persons at the time. Since then re-infareed police and military patrols have been on duty in the district,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.