LADIES AND A JEWEL THIEF.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 161, 9 July 1910, Page 15

LADIES AND A JEWEL THIEF.

DARING ROBBERT AT LORDi CROFTON'S HOUSE, An audacious iobbery was Committed at the fesidence of Lord Crofton, 5, Stanhope Gardens, South Kensington. In the middle of the day, "while several of the occupants and >a number of servants were moving i about the house, a man entered at the bnse- > ment, ascended to the top of the house, rob-< ■ bed two rooms, and made off with, a quantity of jewellery. '.. / : The clever ruse adopted by the man was • described by Miss Diana Crofton and Miss ■ Gertrude Crofton, the -two victims of the ; rdbbefy. Miss Gertrude Crofton Said: "Repairs are being executed on the roof, which was ; damaged by fire a fortnight ago. ' It was ; apparently "the presence of the . workmen and tHeir scaffolding nvßlch afforded the thief his opportunity. On Tuesday, inOrhing ■ about ten o'clock the man entered by the basement entrance at the rear, fie was met by the nurse, who asked him what he was i doing.-' ..He replied that he had come to see about the buiiding work proceeding on , the roof. She said that he must go onteide and tip the .ladder, '•. ■• . ■ , CHALLENGED BY A SERVANT. , ' "The man appears to have returned tibout ' 12.J50, aiid reached the upper part of the " house without being challenged; One of • the servants says she saw him enter t and ! she laughingly remarked."to another eervant \ that She thought the man was a burglar." > Iti. the , evening when Hiss Crdfton went to dress for dinner, she found that a quantity of her jewellery had bßeii taken. : Miss Diana fjrof ton, who is a niece of ', Lord Crofton, said: "I was just leaving my : bedroom about 1&S0 when, to my astonish- • mefitj I eAw 1 a irian comJii£ up the etitifs. ' i asked him, 'What do jrtjn want here?' -' He ' replied thttt he wanted to see the foreman • on tfie roof, i told hlin he' had iiq Business ttiete, aiid -Quit lie must go up the • ladder i oUtSide. I was In tt huffy, and,- taklHg hlin - id Be & *orkman, t went downstairs,- leaving i him to do ashe was told.- On going .to; dress in the , evening I found that my jewel case i had; begh rifled of it h6ap of brd&ehes, ; a ■wfateh aiid chain, a number of fiiigSj and a few other things. ... , "There , Is one drtiaine'ntal bTdocil I ehduhi 3 particularly like to get back. It is a brooch f with seven points, in shape resembling a i rising sun, and set. with, Olanjonde Ami '•ir ■ • . ■'■ ■