ROBBERY AT HOKITIKA

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 22936, 5 February 1940, Page 5

ROBBERY AT HOKITIKA

SAFE HOLDING £4O TAKEN FROM GARAGE

[From Our Own Reporter] GREYMOUTH, February 3. A daring robbery took place at Hokitika late last night or early this morning, the thief or thieves removing more than £4O in cash and goods valued at about £25 from the premises of P. R. Quinn Motors, Ltd., Sewell street, the large office safe being taken away. Entrance was gained to the garage, which is isolated from other buildings, through the front door, from which the lock was apparently wrenched with a spanner. Indications are that a motorcar or van was then driven into the garage and the safe loaded on to it. It would take two or three ipen to lift the safe, and marks on the floor of the garage this morning showed that it had been slewed across the floor for ease of loading. The safe, which has not been recovered, contained £4O in cash, two small cheques, and business papers. In addition, the safe itself is valued at £ 15, and it also contained portion of an acetone welding torch, valued at about £ 7 10s. The torch had been placed in the safe as a precaution, it being thought that, if there should be an attempt at robbery at the garage, and the torch was lying round, the burglars might use it in an .attempt to open the safe. ... The manager of the garage left the premises at *9 o’clock last night, and although it is possible the safe was removed within the next three hours, it is more likely that it was after midnight when the lights in the garage, which are controlled by a time clock, went out. . .... This is the second occasion within a month that the garage-has been unlawfully entered. About a fortnight ago several new motor-car batteries, valued at about £4 each, and a special hydraulic jack, valued at £7 10s, werej stolen.