THIEVES ENTER SEVEN SHOPS

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28795, 16 January 1959, Page 7

THIEVES ENTER SEVEN SHOPS

(From Our Own Reporter) WESTPORT, January 15. When seven Westport business premises were re-opened this morning, it was discovered that they had been broken into during the night, but only a total of £lO2 was taken from tills, no other attempt having been made to steal goods or clothing. However, a car was converted from the rear of a Westport hotel some time during the night, and it is believed that it was used by the raiders. Valued at £9OO the car was the property of Mr Keith Henderson, licensee of the Black and White hotel. Over the years there have been some isolated cases of breaking and entering at Westport, but nothing on the scale of last night’s raid. An entry was made -to Martin and Cpmpapy’s ironmongery shop when a padlock on a back door was forced, but it seems that nothing was taken. The thieves also obviously failed to see anything to take in Hansens’ house furnishing premises, although the till was broken. An entry was made by breaking a window at the rear, The office window of Oxnam’s butchery was- also broken, but nothing has been reported missing. \ The raiders, however, had better results when they took £42 from the till of the Bullei Laundry and Dry Cleaners premises after breaking through a casement window at the rear The sum of £2O was also taker from the till of Rudge Woods mercery shop, another real window being broken here t< gain entry. As far as can be ascer tained, none of the stock of men’s clothing was taken. A diversion was apparently made to Russell street, behinc Palmerston street, where th< other offences occurred, and th< office and petrol bay of Kil kenny’s Motors were entered by breaking windows. The roomi were ransacked and £5 in petty cash was stolen.

Sum Of £lO2 Taken, Car Missing

The electrical goods shop of Messrs Connor and Blackmore, in Palmerston street, was also entered and the sum of £35 taken. It is thought that some keys may have been taken from this shop, one of which might have fitted the stolen car. The pattern of the offences indicates that those responsible were most concerned with taking money, and the raid must have been carried out in quick time