WELLESLEY CLUB ROBBERY

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 97, 19 January 1926, Page 8

WELLESLEY CLUB ROBBERY

VALUABLES ALL RECOVERED

DIVER BRINGS TREASURES

FROM THE SEA

All the valuable cups and. trophies which were stolen from Hie Wellesley Club on December 23 were recovered by the police yesterday from the sea near the Miramar wharf.

From investigations made during the last few days the police bad every reason to believe that the cups and trophies were at the bottom of the sea, somewhere near the Miramar wiiarf, but the only way to prove this theory was to seek the aid of a diver. Detective Murray, who hail charge of the ease, communicated witir the Harbour Board, and the services of Diver Mexican were secured.

“At 3 o’clock yesterday afternoon Detectives Murray, Walsh, Cooper, and Hunt went out lo the Miramar sea wall rm a niotory lorry, accompanied by Mr. McClean and his diving outfit. When flic party arrived hardly a soul could be seen around, but no sevner had the diver donned his .ea dress than hundreds of people c.’iue in on the

j J:: . ti.e search miidit he fruit- ’ less. . c police, who desired to keep 1 the real reason of their visit quiet, I circulated a luiiioui limt ’lity were looking for a body of a person said fo h-.ve bcci drowned. At 326 the diver went down, the depth being well over 20 leer. While lie was searching under Hie water, Hie crowd, who now had a morbid curiosity awakened within them, became very excited, the result being that a youngster fell in. As he could swim, however, be reached the shore little Hie worse for the adventure. Shortly l eforo 4 o’clock the diver appeared, pulling up on a string five silver cups ami three silver vases, the whole of the stolen property. The iiluable.s were immediately returned to the Wellesley Chib, tiie police being warmly congratulated by Hie members for the- skilful way in which they had handled the ease throughout. “Aly word!” said one of the members to a representative of The Dominion, “we did miss them. It’s not tiie value —that’s nothing. The sentiment, however, attached to them, is a great deal The cups and trophies always awakened memories of the good clean sportsmanship that existed all around with us. Besides, we were all wondering how we could replace the Port Nicholson Yachting Club Cup, which was won on Saturday last.”

Detectives Murray, Walsh, Cooper, and Hunt all praise the diver, who covered almost an acre of ground during his search below. The valuables were discovered amongst a lot of weed at the bottom of the sea, in good preservation, excepting for a few dents that can easily be removed.

Ever since the robbery occuncd during the morning of December 23 Detectives Murray, Cooper, Walsh, and Hunt have been working on the case. At first the chance of recovering the valuables was thought to be very remote, as' no clue was left behind by the thieves. Immediately the robbery was reported circulars describing tiie valuables were sent to every police station in the Dominion. Several rewards were offered for the return of the loot, but nothing happened until the police arrested two men in the city on January 11. They will appear in the Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, when charges of breaking and entering and theft from the Wellesley Club will be preferred against them.