The Robbery of Iron from Morrio and Co.'s.

Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 219, 17 September 1886, Page 2

The Robbery of Iron from Morrio and Co.'s.

Further examination of Messrs Morrin and Co.'s Btock leads the firm to believe that 142 bare, amounting to about oight tons, and value £40, havo been Btolen. Messrs Mascfield and Co. have informed the police that tho men had previously sold iron at the foundry, and tho firm handed over about two tons to the authorities. Detective Herbert exhibited very considerable skill in laying his plans for the discsvery of the perpetrators of this daring and systematic theft, and his services ought to be recognised by a wellearned promotion. His manner of marking the bars was very ingenious, and waa thoroughly effective. The scraps of paper weie completely hidden undor the covering of sealing-wax, while the mud smeared over tho outsido obliterated all traeo of tho sealing-wax itself. The iron was taken to Masenold's foundry, and offered for sale coon after 8 o'clock yeEtorday morning. Whon tho mon Westlako, Williams, and Norris were arrestod, thov wore getting tho bars woighed. They wore vory much astonished at being dropped upon red-handed, Williams aud Norris are labourors, and Westlako is a carter. Thero ia reason to believe that robberies from the neighbourhood of Commorcostreot aro /requtnt, but goods in these yards are usually stored in bulk, and depredations aro not easily detected. In this case, however, the thieves were more impudent, as tho whole of the hoap of iron, with the exception of 18 bare, had beon romoved within a rocent period. The yard is also used for the ftorage of ballast, and was not looked up at night, and thus tho robbery was rendered more easy of accomplishment. Tho iron was romoved from a smull open shed to a spot on the railway reclamation about 100 yards distant, and which was sheltered by a pilo of timber. Mr Masetield says it is customary for him to buy a great doal of iron in his but-inofs, and tho vondora aro invariably nuked where they got the iron. No such question was put yesterday morning, but he says that when tho men came the first time with a cartload of iron, they explained to tho foroman that thoy had bought a boat, and wero replacing tho iron ballaet with stones, and consequently did not requiro tho former. He, theroforo, .gave JL'3 por ton fot it, and this price ho considers about 10d under tho present ruling rate, the prices being low. Mr Masetield did not see the men himself, but his foreman says they came once before, while the book-keeper is satisfied that they wore there twice previously. Mr Masefield also says that on several other occasions they brought loads of iron, but he was not thero to sign the cheque, &nd consequently they would not leavo tho iron without the cash, and took it away somowhore olso.