BREAKING AND ENTERING.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 149, 27 June 1898, Page 8

BREAKING AND ENTERING.

THEFT FROM ME H. M. SMEETON'S. The premises of Mr 11. M. Smeeton at the Old Mill Buildings, Queen-street, were very cleverly broken into between closing hours on Saturday and this morningl. When the store was opened at 8 o'clock to-day it was noticed that the door at the reur of the building in Mills Lane was open. Apparently the robbery was done early this morning-, as very little wet had blown in the doorway, whereas had it been open since Saturday night, a large amount, of wet must have got in. An examination of the premises showed that considerable ingenuity had been shown in effecting an entrance. A little lower down the lane is a brick wall topped with broken g-lass fixed in. mortar. A portion of this glass had been knocked away so as to enable the thief to get over the wall. Once over he had to creep along an iron roof until he reached a small sfile door into one of the upper storeys of the Old Mill. This door had 'been forced open and then a rope had been fixed to an iron rod, and it was by slipping", down this the enterpratng thief reached the cartway at the side of the main building. From this he •passed into the old engine-room of the mill. Recently this machinery wan sold and workmen have been engaged removing it. In order to take out some shafting a hole was made through the brickwork, and through this the thief evidently passed into the shop. Once then; he Set to work to secure a reward for his ingenuity and fortunately for Mr Smeeton it was a very small one, his total gains' being apparently only 32/8 worth of coppers. If tobacco was the object of the thief he was disappointed, as it is Mr Smceton's custom only to clear from bond sufficient for the anticipated requirements each day. Of course, with such a large stock, it is possible some small articles may also have been taken, but so far nothing of importance has been missed. The door at the rear was fastened with a bar, and This was evidently removed to allow the thief egress in preference to climbing up the rope and getting back over the wall again.