DARING BURGLARY

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 41, 16 February 1918, Page 6

DARING BURGLARY

AT PAGE'S STORE. ... BIG SAFE RIFLED. THIEVES' GOOD HAUL. , A daring- burglary was perpetrated at Page's provision store, situated at the corner of Edendale Road and the 'New North Road, between the tours of 9 o'clock last evening ami 7 o'clock this morning, and 'booty amounting to nearly £300 taken, comprised of £131 in notes, gold, and silver, the balance being in cheques.

•On -opening the premises at 7 o'clock this morning, the manager (Mr. E. Qualtrough) found difficulty in

opening tilt.main door of the shop. However, with a little pressure it opened all right, and on going to open another door leading into the shop, from the inside, he found further difficulty in releasing the lock, -and on going to the office to get the cash "for his cash register, he found the office upsot, -and « Xann's .iron safe containing books and papers only, had been opened, and the contents of the drawer* scattered over the floor. All drawers in the office desks had been left opened, but nothing taken from them, as tlrey only contained commercial papers. * He' naturally thought of the -strong-room, and. going there, found the eafr door wide open. The inner door had been burst open. The tobacco and books were all in order, but the cashbox was gone. It contained the takings for the day as beforementknrcd. The handle of the outer door leading into thp stionp-rooni, which throws the wards of the locks into thp framework of the h Or " **•* intaet ' but the keyhole ■""here evidently » charge of high explosive had been inserted, which lias completely wrecked the loc-ks. shows no s'gn whatever of the strong charge ot explosive that was in=e. ~cd. with the. exception that the escutehion -ivas blovoi off the door.

The strong-room is a particularly large and well-built one. tlie concrete walls being two feet in thickness, and the door, v.-hich -stand* six feet high, is of the ver\- best make of lihoVba',' of London, showing clearly that this has not been the work o: amateurs. >.o doubt the charge was a -powerful one, and only sufficient to wreck the lock! because nothing surrounding the door of the strong-room has been disturbed or misplaced, or airy trace whatever ot fuse or ether explosive matters is to be seen. Xo doubt the enterprising person or persons have taken full advantage of the "wild and stormy night, as apparently everything -was m order at 4 o'clock this morning, when an early riser saw the premises to all appearances intact. Proibably the took place before that time, as milkmen and others are early astim shortly after 2 a.m., and would bave noticed anyone about the premises, for the premises are on view, -with the £as burning all nisht. Evidently several attempts had been made all round the building to eil'eet an entrance ibeiore finding the right spot. Apparently an entrance was effected from the main door, as marks of a crowbir are plainly risible where the door ■has teen jforeed up and opened, ehowingtbat a -considerable amount of ingenuity and "forethought "bad been exercised in obtaining an entrance. AH the windowb are barred with, stout' iron -bars all around. It was only ibecause the weather was fo bad lihat the usual number of -customers "aid not make purchases that the fum of money on the premises was below tlie amount usual on Friday nights.