THIEVES OUTWITTED.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 48, Issue 74, 7 January 1928, Page 2

THIEVES OUTWITTED.

£40,000 WORTH OF DIAMONDS. Hatton Garden, the London market of the world's rarest gems and jewels, and noted for its great deals and business coups, is having a quiet laugh over the astuteness of one of its travellers (says the "Sunday Chronicle.") This man, the representative of a firm of diamond merchants, was entrusted with the risky job of conveying £40,000 worth of gems from Amsterdam to Hatton Garden. Before he left Amsterdam, he knew that a gang of internatonal thieves had been very active, and that his journey to London! would necessitate extra procautions. He quickly realised that he was being shadowed by several men. During uie crossing from the Continent some of these men spoke to him and others dined near him on the boat. He was polite to them, but ever on his guard. In The Tube. The gems were safe when he reached the, London terminus. Instead of taking a taxi cab he sauntered down the steps ta the "Underground, followed by the gang of crooks. They surrounded him in the lift at Holborn station, he was jostled, and in a second his wallet was in the possession of one dp the thieves. . Later the gang met in a Clerkeniwell public house for the share out, and eager faces watched the opening; of the wallet. Then came the surprise. There were no diamonds inside. The wallet contained articles of no value except to the owner. In the meantime, Hatton Garden, and the astute traveller ini particular, were enjoying the joke of having so ingeniously tricked the gang. For the precious diamonds were sewn inside the traveller's soft collar. The matter was, however, reported to Scotland Yard, and detectives quickly found the meeting place, but the thieves had vanished.