AUCKLAND BURGLARY.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19664, 6 July 1929, Page 6

AUCKLAND BURGLARY.

SAFE BLOWN OPEN. [SHE PEESS Special Service.] AUCKLAND, July 5. Scenes of disorder and a gaping hoi© in the office sate was the discovery made by one of the stall oi the Nikau Bacon Company, Ltd., New iNorth road, at 4.30 o'clock this morning. During the nigiit burglars vvitn explosives nad been ousy and Had reaped a haul ot in cash, representing the uay's takings, £2 in petty cash Kept, in a cupboard near the safe, and a number of stamps. Cheques were disregarded and left strewn about the othee floor, to add to the general litter of books and papers and portions of the damaged safe. The burglary was a particularly daring one, as the factory, though standing 30 feet back from the pavement, lias an open frontage to the main road and is bordered on the Morrin street side by a vacant •section. Entry was obtained by the front door, which is of the swing extension type, the padlock being sawn through. Ignoring the firm s big stock of hams and bacon, the marauders appear to have gone about their work in a systematic way; the lock of the safe, which is 3 feet by 2 feet, was plugged with explosive and a book puttied over it to concentrate the explosion. Over the book was placed a box which mny have had the effect of deadening the noise. People residing in a house adjoining the factory were not disturbed; but the explosion was evidentlv a severe one. for the safe was wrenched wide open. The lock and other portions of it were torn ricrht away and debris wa« scattered all over the office floor. The detonation damaged the telephone, but a clock that repo ed nearby was still ticking its regular beat this morning._ Charles Brown, one of the p_r : n i~als of the firm, stated this morning that the premises were securely locked last evening. Returning home late an employee of the firm discovered the front door of the factory open, and on en+er'ne: found the s;if° open and the office floor covered with books, papers,' cheques, and parts of the safe. The burglars were apparently after cash only, as no hams or bacon were missing.