In a post on Singular Discoveries, Paul Brown shares the story of the Scotland Yard detective who went undercover as a cricket player to solve a series of dressing room thefts in the town of Hampstead, fittingly one of the former homes of Agatha Christie.
Detective Claud Baker, a 28-year old officer building a good reputation, and a local constable named Taylor joined the team incognito. While Baker had no known talent, Taylor was chosen for his ability as a bowler. With Taylor on the field, Baker observed from the clubhouse. Within five weeks, they caught their thief using a spy window and marked money. Baker went on to investigate quirky crimes, including a theatre district pickpocket and a post office mailbag thief with the mysterious pseudonym Breen Aran. He eventually was promoted to detective chief inspector and led Scotland Yard’s infamous Ghost Squad gangbusters.
We’re surprised no one has turned Baker’s exploits into a period mystery drama. What happens next?
