DARING THEFT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 58, 9 March 1935, Page 10

DARING THEFT.

BAG AND OVER £100

RAILWAYMEN'S WAGES

FROM SAFE AT WHANGAREI. MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) WIIANGABEI. this day. A startling theft, the simplicity of which makes the detection of the crime more difficult, resulted in the disappearance last night of a large sum of money x from the Whangarei railway station. Following the usual practice, a fortnight's wages for maintenance men attached to stations between Hokianga and Otiria was drawn from a Whangarei bank at 10.30 yesterday morning and deposited in the safe at the booking office. At 4 p.m. the money, amounting to- £10S 10/0, was checked over, placed in a locked and sealed brief bag, and put back in the safe, to lie there until its dispatch to the North early this morning. Three hours later, at 7 p.m., the contents of the safe were checked and found to be in order. Railway officials were- abouv the station ■until the arrival of the late train from Auckland at 11.8 p.m. Door of Safe Not Locked. The late shift clerk, Mr. L. C. £ucas, paid wages to a member of the- staff, who lad arrived by the train, and then closed, but did not lock, the door of the safe. Mr. Lucas then proceeded with Mβ usual duties of clearing packages from the van of the night train and transferring them to a place of safety in the- parcels office. When he commenced this work the platform was clear of passengers, all the platform lights were burning, and a street light addotl further illumination at the back of the station. The direct entrance to the booking office was locked, and access to the safe could only be gained through the door of the tablet office, about 20 yards from where the clerk was working. By midnight, Mr. Lucas had completed his task and returned to the booking office for the purpose of depositing late collections handed to him.by the guard, and of locking up for the night. It was then that he made the startling discovery that the bag containing the northern wages was missing. The stationinaster and police were promptly advised .and investigations immediately commenced, lasting throughout the night. So far there has been no trace of the missing bag, or clue to the identity of the robber. .. Other Cash Untouched. A peculiar feature is that other wages and cash in the safe, amounting to a fairly considerable sum, were untouched. The missing brown leather brief bag is of small size with double handles and leather straps running round the outside. The inside of the bag is lined with pockets. The stolen cash was in silver and £1 notes.. So that' the workmen might receive their pay at the week-end, a further drawing "was made at the bank this inorning and the wages were dispatched.