A CLEVER SWINDLE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 155, 1 July 1914, Page 7

A CLEVER SWINDLE.

CUPvISTCIU'IU'H JEWELLER ROBBED. (By Telegraph.-Special to "Star.") CHRLSTCHURCH. this day. The firm of VV. Watson and Co.. Limited, jewellers, were yesterday bewailing the loss of a gold wristlet watch valued at .ti7 10/ anil a ring valued at .C 5 10/. which were "lifted" from the firm the previous day by a young woman working a most barefaced aud ingenious fraud. On Monday .Mr. Watson was called to the telephone in his branch shop. A cultured voice informed him that Mrs. Igiviug the name of a lady well-known in society circles in the city) was speaking, and that she was sending her niece along to select a present. She extorted a cordial promise from Mr. Watson that the young lady would be well attended to at the other branch shop, and he immediately telephoned the branch to be on the lnokout for the customer. She arrived in a flash motor cur. and selected a watch at, jV.7 1(1/. Away she went, and that was the last of the watch. But then came another ring. "Mis. was delighted with the niece's choice, and ns Mr. (the speaker's husband) wanted to give her a present too, she would come back. Mr. Watson says that he became curious, and asked the address, but it was forthcoming with such aplomb, together with instructions : to be sure not to charge the articles before the 2nd of the month, that Mr. Watson made sure he was dealing with one accustomed tn running up jewellers' bills. Hack came the car. and away went the niece with a ring valued at a2."i 10/. which she was sure "uncle" would be delighted with. nf course, "uncle" was quite unaware I hat his name was being taken sn vainly. .Mr. Watsnu became suspicious and visited the branch, but was v little nettled to find ' that the customer had gnne. He let. the matter drop till yesterday, and then rang up Mrs. . Exactly what passed over the telephone is not stated, but it was made quite clear that Mr. Watson had been duped. At 2.30 yesterday afternoon Detectives Ward and Gibson arrested a young woman aged twenty, and charged her with false pretences in connection with the theft. She had been staying in a big boardinghouse in Papanui Road, and when the detectives arrested her she was just abnut tn take four ladies rut fnr a taxi drive to New Brighton. The breaking up of the parly was mnst sensational.