BOUND AND GAGGED

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 48, Issue 155, 12 April 1928, Page 6

BOUND AND GAGGED

BURGLARS ATTACK CARETAKER. OUTRAGE AT HAMILTON. (Per Press Association.) HAMILTON, April 11. The Strand picture Theatre was the scene of a robbery with violence after closing last night. The caretaker, Richard Gainfort, 65, a married man, was struck on the head, stunned and robbed of £l2 and the keys of the theatre safe. * -, He awoke an hour later, finding himself gagged and bound to a bed in the room where he slept on the premises He succeeded in calling help by hanking a benzine tin. A passer-by heard, and called the police, who advised the theatre manager. Owing to the bank holidays, over £SOO was in the safe. The robbers did not succeed in-obtaining the cash, which was removed to. another building. Gainfort was 01 ot seriously hurt.

DETAILS'OF THE AFJAIR. AUCKLAND, April 11. Further details of the attempt to rob the Strand' Theatre, Hamilton, shew that after the patrons left the theatre' the caretaker went up the landing stage to his quarters at 10.30 o'clock. Before.entering, however, he stood'at the entrance to the dress circle to take a final look round antl assure himself that everything was in order. He had barely flashed his torch round when he was desperately attacked, roughly handled and gagged and bound in his bed. Nevertheless he managed to cry for help, and the silence of the'.night was disturbed by these cries and the loud banging of a tin. The attention of a j

passer-by was attracted, and as a result "the latter rushed down Victoria Street and meeting Constable Nayior informed him of the occurrence. The constable returned with the man to the theatre, but they found the front door locked. ' Mr S. Tombs, manager cf the Strand, was then summoned, being awakened at 12.15 o'clock. He immediately hastened to the theatre and a search for Gainfort was instituted. When the searchers discovered he was missing, thev proceeded to Ids room, which thev unlocked and found the; unfortunate man, who had managed to escape from his bonds. A serious feature of the, affars was that the ruffian's, two in number/robbed him of £ls in cash and a watch and chain. They also took a number or keys, including the keys of the safe and others giving access to any part of

the theatre. No time was lost by Mr Tombs in ■-emoving the money in the safe, which . t was situated in another part of the building, and depositing it for the might in the safe of the Commercial Hotel, owini to the banks being closed from

Thursday. A large sum of money, totalling over -£500,' was stowed in the safe, and there is,little doubt that this was the objective of the\ thieves. Gainfort, who is 65 years of age is married and has a family. His wife, however, is at present absent m SydOn regaining consciousness Gainfort, realising that a huge sum of money was at the mercy of his assailants, made strenuous efforts to free himself. lne bruised and .swollen state of his wrists bear testimony to this. - This is the second occasion within a week that premises in Hamilton have been broken into.