HOME RANSACKED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 3, 5 January 1931, Page 5

HOME RANSACKED.

THIEVES AT WORK.

RAILWAY MANAGER'S RESIDENCE.

LITTLE PROPERTY STOLEN.

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) . \ WELLINGTON, this day. 'While Mr. H. H. Sterling, General Manager of Railways, was absent in the South Island on holiday with his family over the Christmas and New Year, his, home', in Burnell Avenue, Hvas ransacked., The crime was discovered when Mr. Sterling returned yesterday. Although there was no time last evening to survey the contents of the house, not a great deal seemed to have been taken. Some things, however, are obviously missing. Mr. Sterling l.eft a fortnight ago, and, with no one living in the house over the holidays, a leisurely job was possible. The thief or thieves gained an entrance through the back door. It was necessary first of all to force open a grille gate opening into the back porch. This was done apparently with a crowbar. Attention was turned then to the back door itself. After an unsuccessful attempt to force open the door near the handle and lock, the intruders tried to prise it open at the hinged side. It was opened finally with a jemmy near the lock. The wood of the door and frame was badly splintered. Once inside the house, the thieves ransacked the rooms systematically, and created' a certain amount of disorder. It is not known when the crime was committed, but it is considered unlikely that it took place on Saturday night, •as has been suggested. Mr. Sterling was interested last evening in what he thought might have been a bogus telephone call. On the day he left, he was telephoned by someone who said-he was a newspaper reporter. The speaker wished to. know Mr. Sterling's movements for the purpose of inserting a paragraph. This was most unusual, said .Mr. Sterling, for information was obtained generally by different means.