A TOBACCO THIEF.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 17984, 30 January 1924, Page 11

A TOBACCO THIEF.

© AMURI TEA-ROOMS ENTERED. Late on Saturday night, or in the early , hours of Sunday morning, the Amuri Tea' Booms in Hereford street, next to the Bank of New Zealand, were broken into and an attempt made to steal ,a quantity of cigarettes and tobacco valued at £3. The Amuri Tea Booms are situated in the upstairs portion of the building, and are a rendezvous for business men. Cigarettes and tobacco are on sale at the counter, and a tempting display of these goods evidently attracted the burglar. The intruder evidently gained entrance to the building through the front door, which is fitted with a Yale lock, and displaced the sliding panel which is raised , during business hours, and which closes off the tobacco stall at night. This panel was securely fastened on Saturday night, and was found lying on the floor when the premises were next entered, yhe intruder apparently leaned over the small counter and helped himself to as many packets of cigarettes and tobacco as he could reach, and tied them into a bundle. The bundle was found on the landing, and it appears that the burglar was disturbed, and was forced to beat a hasty retreat through the back door of the premises, and thence to Cathedral square. .

So far as can be ascertained nothing else was stolen, although thei burglar gained admittance to the offices of the Canterbury Collecting Agency on the samo floor. Miss McGregor, the proprietress of the tea rooms, states that this is the third occasion upon whieh the panel above the tobacco stall counter has been displaced by burglars.

This burglary points the moral that people should not "neglect to install the recognised safety device for night latches, i.e., The Bacon Security Plug. To anyone possessing a night latch not properly secured with one of these plugs we shall be pleased to give the fullest information, together with a practical demonstration.

■ Ring, write, or calL THE DOMINION SALES SERVICE, 135 Worcester street (corner Manchester street). Telephone 2489. C