Double loss in shop break-in

Press, 3 May 1977, Page 2

Double loss in shop break-in

Nelson reporter Thieves cocked a snook at “Police Week” and crime prevention in Nelson during the week-end by entering H.| and J. Smith, Ltd, Nelson ■ department store, blowing! open a safe and stealing: $5500 in cash. The burglars gained entry) by smashing a skylight — leading to an extra loss:. During Saturday evening Nel-1 son had a severe wind and, rain storm, and stock and carpet under the broken sky-, light was damaged by the rain. The cost of this dam-! age is put at $4OOO by the shop’s manager (Mr K. A. Youdale), shown with the damaged safe. About $5OO of this latter loss was for half a rack of; children’s dressing- gowns.

aamaged when the safe wasi blown. The burglars, gaining; [(entry from the floor above,: ( a rack of dressing;; ; gowns down to the office.p .(These were put in front of;, lithe safe to muffle the ex-|j 'lplosion. > Eighty garments were . I damaged irreparably by the ‘ J explosion, the lock of the ' Jsafe was neatly blown out, , . and the back of the safe (I door was blown off. [■ Mr Youdale said the . ( offenders appeared to have ( ./’cased” the store before act-! J ing. The chosen skylight, j /about 4.5 metres from the j, floor, was immediately above ; /a two-metre display stand, j; on to which the burglars ■ /were able to drop. They went out the same [.way as they came in, but, jwith the aid of a ladderj /from one of the storerooms. ■ I Access to the skylight may (have been gained from the (back of the store, which adioins a big car park. The money stolen represented takings from the time lithe banks closed on Friday, II said Mr Youdale. There are -'no banking facilities in Nelson for money taken after iibanks close on Fridays. If,, ■ there were he would most s' certainly have used them,| t he said. >1 The subject of banking, - Friday takings was a matter 1 for the Retailers' Federation,;: - and he said was sure this! would be raised at the next; Imeeting. r