LOWER HUTT BURGLARY

Evening Post, Volume CI, Issue 17, 20 January 1921, Page 8

LOWER HUTT BURGLARY

FURTHER PARTICULARS.

There are no fresh developments to report in connection with the breaking and entering of the Lower Hutt Borough Offices. The burglar evidently, made his entrance from the main passage into tho suite of offices by forcing the door with some inslrumont inserted ■ between the jamb and tho door, thus breaking tho Yale latch with which tho door was held. The strongroom was entered, evidently by means of a key which, as reported, had jbeen lost a day or so proviously. Of this "room a duplicate key was held by tho officers, so that, it was used on the Monday and Tuesday, even though the original key had,been lost. The safe in tho strongroom, containing a sum- of money, was also apparently opened by one of the lost keys. Of this receptablo no duplicato key was available, and therefore it had not been opened by the, officers on Monday and Tuesday. It is understood that the sum of money taken wis considerably in excess of that reported yesterday (£350), and comprised tho cash in the safe and also the takings of the Monday and Tuesday, which were in a box in the strongroom. The strongroom was considerably disturbed, papers and book 6 being strewn over the floor, and a table and two chairs had been taken from the office into the strongroom, probably for the purpose of standing upon to reach the-high or shelves. It is stated that the burglar or burglars left a considerable sum of money which-was in a roller-top desk in the Town Clerk's private office. Tht, desk had been opened, but tho money was evidently overlooked. This sum was money, held in trust by the Town Clerk and not connected with the borough fund.-:.