SHOP LOOTED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 151, 29 June 1931, Page 5

SHOP LOOTED.

THIEVES IN PONSONBY. SKELETON KEY USED? CLOTHING WORTH £150 STOLEN. MAN WITH A MOTOR CAR? After picking a padlock on the front door and forcing the ordinary lock, thieves broke into the shop of R. Wells, men's outfitters, Three Lamps, Ponsonby, during the week-end, and stole clothing valued at over £150. When the thieves left they padlocked the front door again, so that when the manager arrived this morning everything appeared to be in order. Once the door was opened he found the interior in great confusion. Clothing of all descriptions was lying about the floor, boxes, emptied of their contents, were piled on the counters, and shelves and exhibition stands were sadly de])letcd. All sorts of goods were stolen, but a careful selection was made. Some of the goods had obviously been tried on, for they were left turned inside out on the iloor. Trousers, lumber jackets, ties, handkerchiefs, shirts, socks, hats, and overcoats were among the missing goods. Coppers totalling 3/2 were stolen from the till, but the thieves did not find over £3 worth of silver and two £1 notes which had been hidden. Thieves were apparently determined to force their way into the shop. About two months ago an attempt was made on the front door, and the thieves, finding their way barred, smashed a leadlight window at the back. They could not open it, and stole only clothes which were within easy reach. Jemmy marks on the front door about five weeks ago told of another unsuccessful attempt. It is thought that the thieves wjio broke into the shop during the weekend either used a skeleton key to open the heavy padlock, or they picked it. Jemmy marks indicated that the ordinary lock had been forced. The proprietor of a nearby fish shop when locking up his place about C.30 on Saturday night was asked by a man if the owners of the mercer's shop lived on the premises. He said he wanted to buy an overcoat for hie child. The stranger, who had a car waiting for him on the other side of the road! was directed to a- clothing shop further up the street, and told that those owners lived on the premises. The man moved oil in the direction of the shop