£10,000 JEWEL ROBBERY.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVI, Issue 138, 10 December 1908, Page 4

£10,000 JEWEL ROBBERY.

STRONG ROOM RIFLED. BURGLARS AS GEM EXPERTS. Jewels of the value of nearly £10,000 were stolen on Sunday, 25th October, from the sirong rooms of Messrs. Debenham and Freebody's premises in Wig-more-street, London. The police (says the Daily Mail) have no clue, and the owners of tho jewels do not harbour suspicions of any one in their pmploynient. 5 During the week-end, from the time ot closing on Saturday afternoon until Monday morning, three watchmen made frequent and regular rounds of tho building, while another guarded tho outside. The rounds of the watchmen are checked at various points by electric clocks, the keys of which have to be turned by the men as they pass^ so that there is no possibility' of negligence. Ever> place in tho building would be passed at least once an hour. Nothing unusual was noticed by any watchman until after, four on the Sun- [ day afternoon, whon one man named Humm found a back door standing open. He raised tho alarm, the police were summoned and the whole block was surrounded by constables while a thorough search was instituted. It was then discovered that the jewellery strong room, situated in the basement, had been open* ed, but not forced, and the greater part of tho contents stolen. Jewel cases were lying scattered about the floor on all sides, together with many small articles of jewellery, for only the most valuable gems had been taken. The burglar? were undoubtedly connoisseurs of jewellery, as overy highlypriced stono had gone. The stolen articles included diamond, pearl, and ruby tiaras, bracelets, necklets,- rings, tio pins, and other ornaments. Some of the articles were valued singly at £100, £200, and £300, and few were below the value of £5. "CUSTOMERS" IN HIDING. The jewels formed part of the special stock recently purchased by the firm for their Christmas business. The thieves took only gems, the gold ornaments and watches in the strong room being left. A careful examination of the premises only emphasised tho daring and curious features of the robbery. Evidently it had been committed by persons who had thoroughly acquainted themselves with the inner workings of the business. The open door which awakened the first suspicions of tho watchman had been forced from the inside, and used as a means of exit only. Thero were no signs at all to show where the burglars had obtained an entry. Presumably they walked into tho "shop just before closing time on Saturday, and in some way hid themselves until the following aay, coming out at lunch time, when one of the three watchmen would be off duty. The only thing the thieves left behind was a piece of iron three feet long. Tho .keys of the strong room were always kept locked hi an iron case in an office also in tho basement, tho key of which was carried by a watchman. This case had been foicocl and the keys abstracted. Oncu access was gained to tho strong room — by simply using the proper keys — the door must have been closed while the thieves turned their attention to the locked cases which contained tho jewels. These cases were opened with <i jeminj, the marks of which wore clearly discernible. Robbing the strong room was not the only task the burglars essayed. An attempt was made to open. the safe in the manager's department on the fifth floor The safe resisted all their efforts. It contained other jewellery and a consideiable sum of money. Many valuables nere overlooked by tho thieves. In a showroom near the rifled strong room win one x-iiece OI tapestry valued at 2000 guineas. The loss is covered by insurance.

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