On October 21st of 1946, Detective Constable Roe and Detective Constable Parker arrested known housebreaker and thief, Sydney Hammond, at his home in Claremont.

Hammond’s wife, Cecilia Hammond, was permitted to leave the flat but later returned to the lock up garage where the detectives were now taking inventory of a hoard of stolen goods. 

As Sydney Hammond was placed in the back of the police car, Cecilia Hammond gave her husband a .22 palm pistol. Detective Constable Roe sat next to the offender and as the car drove off, Sydney Hammond shot Detective Constable Roe three times in the back and escaped but was chased by the mortally wounded Detective Constable Roe.  

During the short foot chase, Hammond fired two more shots at point-blank range, striking Detective Constable Roe in the chest and head, Detective Constable Roe died at the scene, Hammond escaped in his wife's car.

They were both arrested early the next morning, Cecilia Hammond was imprisoned for seven years, Sydney Hammond was sentenced to death, this was later commuted to life imprisonment.

Detective Constable Roe was given a Police funeral with full honours.