Thieves Fall Out After £200,000 Jewel Robbery

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27875, 25 January 1956, Page 14

Thieves Fall Out After £200,000 Jewel Robbery

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

(Rec. 10 p.m.) _ T __ JOHANNESBURG, January 23. An Australian, said to be in touch with “Lucky” Luciano, tricked two men of an alleged £200,000 haul of jewellery and fled just- before armed police burst into their hotel room, a Court was told today. In the dock were Ernest Miles, a private detective, and William Linsay Pearson, aged 32, of Sydney. The Court was holding a preliminary hearing of charges arising from the disappearance of jewellery valued at £213.000 from the home of Mrs Harry Oppenheimer—wife of the diamond magnate—near Johannesburg on December 5. The hearing was adjourned until tomorrow. Most of today’s proceedings were devoted to allegations by William Radley, who was originally charged with Miles and Pearson, but who was later released. Radley said Miles told him he planned the haul at the Oppenheimer home, where he had worked, and had obtained a key to the bedroom safe. He met Pearson separately. After a trip to Europe, Pearson suggested Charles “Lucky” Luciano as the best man to buy the jewels that Radley had told him about. Pearson said he would telephone Luciano in Italy, where he was living. After making arrangements for a rendezvous in a hotel bedroom, Radley said, he met Pearson there on December 14—nine days after the robbery. Two Africans carried in a pair of suitcases. When they had gone, Pearson opened them, and found they were full of money.

Pearson told Radley that if he was thinking of a “double-cross” one of Luciano’s men was in the bathroom with a gun. Miles arrived with a parcel done up in Christmas gift wrappings. Pearson, whom Radley said, was meeting Miles for the first time, opened the bag. and said: “This looks like the stuff.” He then went out of the room with it. He returned and said: “0.K., pick up your money.” Radley said he and Miles rose to 4 their feet. As Miles picked up two ■* bundles of notes, police burst into the room, armed with revolvers. They found an automatic on Miles. Pearson disappeared. Radley said that as he and Miles were being led away by the police, they saw Pearson ~ coming back to his room. Miles shouted .at him: “I will fix i you.” Radley said: “Thanks for the • drink.” Pearson replied: “So long boys. You are just unlucky,” Radley said. Radley told the Court that he now , knew the pile of money produced i in Pearson’s room was no good—only j the top and bottom notes on each ’ bundle were genuine. The rest had been cancelled with punched holes.