ANOTHER ROBBERY.

Auckland Star, Volume 55, Issue 18, 22 January 1924, Page 7

ANOTHER ROBBERY.

QUEEN STREET SHOP ENTERED SAFE OPENED AND CLOSED. The epidemic of thefts in Auckland lias not tiied down. On Sunday night Inst some person or persons unknown forced an entrance into the premises of Jlr. Kenneth Eadv, piano importer, of Upper Queen Street, found the key and opened the otficc safe and extracted the sum of about £4, which, fortunately, was all the money the sate contained. Then the receptacle . was carefully locked again, and the robber walked' ol" with the money—and the key. That something was amiss was first discovered by a constable, who, shortly before 11 p.m.. on Sunday, found the front door of the premises open. On Monday morning, a window of a workBhip in the roar of the 'building was found to be broken, the tliief having evidently shattered the glass to reach the window catch, and so enter the building. It is then assumed that he walked along the passage to a double door at the back of the showroom. This was locked, but, as can be seen by marks on the woodwork, a jemmy was brought into effective use, and the thief found his way to the office. Owing to Mr. Eady being out of town, the key of the ■ safe" had been left in a tobacco tin in a drawer of the ofTice desk, and the intruder, having rummaged through drawers and cabinets, evidently found it. In any case, no trace of the article could be found on Monday, and it was only after the safe had been opened by a locksmith that the loss was discovered. ' Having reloeked the safe after extracting the money the robber evidently pocketed the key and let himself out the front door, which accounts for its being found open by the police. This is not the first occasion on which attempts have been made to enter shops in the Academy Buildings. On Thursday nisht last marks were found on the back door of Howie's Gramophone Parlour?, but no entrance was effected, ■while on Friday nifrlit the door was forced open, but, although a pound note had been left in an open till, nothing •was disturbed. Also, an empty studio door, on the top floor of the building, bears marks of an attempt to force it. On these occasions it is assumed that tlie intruder entered by the side door of the Academy, which is left open till 10 p.m. each night. The police are investigating.