TOBACCO HAULS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 229, 27 September 1930, Page 3 (Supplement)

TOBACCO HAULS.

CLEARING HOUSE FOR BURGLED GOODS. Raids by burglars on tobacconists shops in London are becoming unpleasantly frequent. Burglars entered the shop of Mr. E. S. R. Gates in Little Newport Street and carried away stock to the value of £ ISO—the entire contents of the shop. This is the second time during the present year that Mr. Gates' shop has been robbed. In February thieves entered hit? premises and stole tobacco and cigarettes worth £135. "They have cleaned rue out twice in six months,'' said Mr. Gate?, "and this time they have simply cartel away

bagfuLs of stuff. Mine is a lock-up shop, and I consider the thieves must have been on the premises for several hours t3 have cleared up everything. '"It is heartbreaking. I had just got over my previous loss and had my stock built up again when this happened. When I saw the shop ransacked I could not help breaking down. These robberies ar?_ becoming more and more frequent. When my place was burgled in February four or five other shops in the locality were entered and tobacco and cigarettes stolen. I am convinced that these burglaries are being carried out on a systematic scale and that there is a clearing-house in London for the stolen goods. I have had men come into my shop and offer me wellknown brands o: cigarettes at 5,' per 1000 below the wholesale price. I think it is time for a special effort to be made to guard the small tobacconist from these depredations."