SHOP ROBBED.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19942, 31 May 1930, Page 16

SHOP ROBBED.

GREATER PART OF STOCK TAKEN. TOBACCONIST'S LOSS. Practically the whole of the 6tock of Mr James Smith, a tobacconist, of Fitzgerald avenue, was taken from his shop by thieves at some time during Thursday night. The discovery was made by Mr Smith yesterday morning, and he estimated the worth of the goods stolen at between £3O and £6O, although the oonfusion was such that it was difficult to make a complete assessment.

The goods taken. ranged from tobacco and cigarettes to barbers' sundries, which included razors, a dipping machine, a strop, and a great deal of soap. The robbery constitutes a , complete lose to Mi Smith, wht> before he could ,begin work yesterday had to hasten t») replenish his stock. Bare shelves tyfere ail that greeted a Press reporter ivlien he visited the shop, and as the proprietor said: "This sort of thing is hard for a man, when he is in a small way. 1 even had to go out and buy my6olf a packet of cigarettes this morning." Mr Smith's premises are part of a .block of three lock-up shops at the corner of luam «treet and Fitzgerald avenue. The shop faces the avenue; there is an empty shop next door, on the cornor, and a vacant plot of land in Tuam street borders the back fence of the building. It was evident that the thieves made their way across this p}ot, and waled the 6ft corrugated iron fence, which flanks Mr Smith's yard. They then smashed a large pane of the window beside the back •door of the shop.; making a-hole which was sufficient to allow the passage of a medium-sized man. After clambering through this window the marauders found themselves in the hairdressins c;ilrwin

Nothing was left unturned in the saloon. Shelves and cupboards were swept clean, and everything of value taken, whilst those articles which were of no use to the thieves were scattered indiscriminately on the floor. Even t.he till was forced, and the small nmount of money it contained taken. The visitors departed by way of the back door, which they were able to unlock from the inside, and they placed a rubbish-tin against the yard fence, thus facilitating the task of removing the booty. From the nature of the thieves' haul it is thought that they must have had a vehicle of some kind in which to take it away. None of the neighbouring residents, however, heard anything of a suspicious nature during the .night. The police have the matter of this burgrlarv in hand, but it was understood last night that no arrests had 6o far been made.