Rutherford Primary crime fighter

By LEANNE WARR

Junior crime fighter Daniel King, 11, fancies himself as a bit of a detective.

The avid reader of criminal mystery books has already put his powers of deduction to good use, helping police catch three burglars.

That effort earned him a certificate of appreciation from Inspector Mark O'Connor during last week's annual police awards. .

Daniel was at home one evening in July when he spotted three teenagers walking up the drive of the house next door to his own.

The Rutherford Primary School pupil thought nothing of it until he saw the trio leaving with stereos and what looked like air pistols.

His elderly neighbour, a woman in her 70s, was home alone during the burglary, completely unaware that anything was happening.

But Daniel knew something was up and took in as much information as he could.

"I told Mum and she rang the police," he says.

"I told the lady on the phone what they looked like and stuff."

A police car was sent to the house shortly before Daniel spied the three teens across the road.

Daniel's parents Jeff and Helen Mison are proud of his efforts.

"It's quite overwhelming," Mrs Mison says.

Police agree, saying it's unusual for someone as young as Daniel to take in so much detail.

They say the information he relayed over the phone was almost too good to be true.

"His level of description couldn't have been more correct," detective sergeant Murray Free says.

Western Leader

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