ATTEMPTED ROBBERY OF A BANK

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2554, 31 August 1915, Page 6

ATTEMPTED ROBBERY OF A BANK

; —«— : TUNNEL UNDER STRONG-ROOM SENSATIONAL AFFAIR By Telegraph—Press Association. ■ Eltham, August 30. A sensational attempt at a bank robbery has been discovered at Eltham, and two men—Samuel "White an 3 William Keith—were arrested yesterday in connection therewith., The premises affected, are the Bank of New South Wales and C. A. Wilkinson's (universal provider). Elaborate arrangements had been made, showing that the men had been working for months. A trap-door had been made underneath a building adjoining the bank, aud a tunnel 2ft. by 2ft. 6in., running a distance of 40ft., ran to underneath the strong-room of the bank. The men. were, already at work on the floor of the strong-room, and were tapping the concrete. Spades, a tomahawk,! and other tools were found in the tunnel; Another day and the men would have been in tho : strong-room. The attempt was discovered by ' the bank manager a few days ago, and he informed'the'police.-' At Wilkinson's arrangements were still more cleverly carried out. An iron ventilator at the back of the premises had been converted into a sliding door and a tunnel was constructed underneath the building to the office, the ' floor of; which was elevated from the , rest of the floor. A small trap door was constructed ill the floor underneath and was cleverly concealed. Wilkin- : son's had been missing goods for weeks past, and suspicion rested on the employees.' The trap-door was discovered by the manager on Friday. He immediately investigated, and found the tunnel. A quantity of produce, fruit, and pickles, were found in'the tunnel. Goods were' also found in the man White's house; Both men are residents of Eltham, and were considered respectable citizens. They were formally charged at Eha ■Magistrate's Court.and remanded. Detective Siddells and Senior-Sergeant M'Nealy, who effected the arrest, consider the case the, , most sensational in their experience. '. . i ■ A!: STATEMENT CORRECTED. : . ; Mr. C. A. Wilkinson, under whose premisos at Elthaai -one ;of the tunnels had'been made,. wishes to correct a statement in the Press Association account published above. ' > ' ; That report states that members of Mr. Wilkinson's staff .were suspected of having stolen certain articles. that were missed: from the store. Mr. Wilkinson 'says that this is not so. He had never suspected his staff for a moment. His men had been with, him for years, and he regarded their integrity without question; , 1 .