£20,000 Jewel Theft

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29844, 9 June 1962, Page 12

£20,000 Jewel Theft

(N.Z Press Association) ROTORUA, June 8. The Rotorua C. 1.8. has no leads tonight to the thief who stole jewellery worth more than £20,000 from a Wellington man’s station waggon at Rotorua early last evening. A preliminary alert has been sent to other centres, but a full description of the stolen property has not been

received from the owners, Novelties. Ltd.. Wakefield street, Wellington. The jewellery, comprising rings and strings of pearls was stolen from the vehicle of Mr J A. Hutchinson, a director of the Wellington firm. Mr Hutchinson left his station waggon locked within six feet of the house of a Rotorua jeweller. Mr Frank Salt, with whom he was inside discussing business at the time of the theft. Mr Hutchinson has been travelling the North

Island for about 15 years. The vehicle was parked at 615 p.m. and the theft, the biggest in the Rotorua district. was noticed at about 9 p.m. The jewellery was packed in two suitcases, which were taken from the rear seat Other cases of watches and jewellery, worth about £2OOO. were not touched. Detective Senior Sergeant W T. Cook said there were no signs the door of the station waggon had been forced open. The stolen property was fully insured.