JEWEL ROBBERY BY SLEIGHT OF HAND.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 225, 20 September 1913, Page 17

JEWEL ROBBERY BY SLEIGHT OF HAND.

HOW DIAMONDS WORTH £1,300 WERE STOLEN. Two expert London diamond thieves have obtained possession of precious stones valued at about £1,500 by means of a clever sleight-of-hand trick.

Two Hamburg merchants named Suchowolski and Borens brought the diamonds to London for the purpose of selling them, says '-The Daily Express." and while walking along Leadenhall street during the week-end they were acco-sted- by a welldressed young man, who said he understood they had some diamonds to dispose of, and that he would like to see them with, a I view to striking a bargain.

They all went to a restaurant In the neighbourhood, where the man expressed great admiration of the diamonds, said he would buy them, and asked that they shoold not be separated, but be placed together in a parcel and sealed. This was done, and the three men agreed* to meet at an Oxford street restaurant the next day.

When the trickster met the merchants the second time he was accompanied by a young woman. On some pretext the sealed parcel was opened, and the diamonds were again inspected. The man and the woman stated they were perfectly satisflcd with them, and made an appointment to meet the merchants later at Ilatton garden to settle the bargain finally.

The merchants kept the appointment, but the others.did not, and, becoming suspicious, the merchants opened the parcel. To their consternation they found that paste diamonds of equal weight had been substituted.

It is believed that, having had' the diamonds made up into a parcel on the first occasson. the trickster prepared a similar package, and, with the aid of his woman accomplice, substituted it for the parcel of genuine diamonds at the second interview.