CITY BURGLARY

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 68, 14 December 1931, Page 12

CITY BURGLARY

Hotel Premises Entered SAFE CARRIED AWAY Cash and Liquors Stolen AUDACIOUS INTRUDERS Cool audacity was displayed by burglars who broke into the temporary preitiises of the Panama Hotel, on tjj? corner of Taranaki Street and Vivian Street, between midnight on Saturday and two o'clock yesterday morning. They carried away a large safe containing about £lOO in cash and some valuable documents, and also stole thousands of cigarettes and several bottles of champagne, whisky, and brandy. The plunder was the property of Mrs. Mary Hyde, licensee of the Panama Hotel. The thieves gained access to the premises by forcing a lavatory window. The safe, which would require at least two powerful men to lift it, was rolled on to some bags, judging by the marks on the floor, and then dragged out through the front door on to the footpath. It was then probably lifted on to a waiting motor-truck. The temporary premises of the Panama Hotel comprise the bar, an inner office, and a lavatory. There is no sjeeping accommodation in the structure. A building which has been erected to take the place of the hotel which was badly damaged by fire some months ago will be ready for occupation this week. Mrs. Hyde, the licensee, proposed to transfer the bar into the new building within two or three days, and as there would be people sleeping on the premises, the burglars would then have found their task well nigh impossible. , It is believed that the thieves, following the usual practice. have removed the safe to some unfrequented place in the bush, or to premises away from the city, where they can apply themselves to the task of forcing it open without attracting unwanted notice. The robbery was reported to the police shortly after 2 o’clock yesterday morning, and investigations were in hand yesterday. '