JEWEL THEFT

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 125, 29 May 1930, Page 28

JEWEL THEFT

AN IMPUDENT RAID

JEWELLER UNDER ."ARREST"

: Homo has been suffering an epidenri.e.j of robberies, especially in houses, apartr monts, and shops entered in the absence of the tenants and proprietors by means of skeleton keys; the victims being carefully selected among known, possessors of desirable and .easily negotiable loot—especially jewels. Mauy of the robberies have been so skilfully perpetrated that organised gangs of experts have been suspected, and at least one gang of old offenders has been gathered in by the police. But tli'e crowning touch in robbery was a daylight achievement by a thief of humour as well as genius'in his profession, who put his victim in prison, for safe keeping while he escaped with, a suitcase full of jewelry, practically the entire stock of a dealer whose shop is.on one of the busy streets in tho centre of Eomo where are blocks .■ of tourist hotels and the Central Railway station.. It was a performance of such boldness and blandness that it offers a new plot ready-made—oven with tho Hues and- action —for comic opera; at least to all except the jeweller who suffered the robbery.. - POLICE ARRIVE. At 10 o'clock on a bright, sunny morning, the sidewalks lively with pedestrians, the street a-swarm with automobiles and tho two-story trams. that take passengers to and from tho hill-towns —in this busiest kind of a' street, a few steps from one of tho main arteries of Borne, a taxi with a fat and noticeable driver stopped at tho door of tho jewellry shop. *_ From the taxi two noticeable figures, Carabinieri in officers' uni-1 forms; tri-corn hats with their red-and-gold trimmings; long swinging, voluminous dark-blue capes —the familiar figures that do police duty in Rome. They entered the shop with assurance, a captain and a marshal; —of "impeccable distinction," tho jeweller described them tothe police several hours later; the "marshal" carrying a yellow, leather valise. They locked the glass door, and the "captain" in authoritative mannqr informed _ tho proprietor (who, being innocent of any irregularity that might bring tho police down on him, .was expecting them to become' customers) that they had a delicate matter to discuss with him. They had to make an inquiry, an examination of- his stock, and perhaps a sequestration; and they'produced an order, signed, stamped, and with the seal of tho Procurator of tho Kiug—a formidable document to the law-abid-ing Italian —and proceeded to collect the jeweller's stock-in-trade, of gold and diamonds and other precious stones,lnaking a/list, of th.o objects as they gathered them into the yellow valise calmly and, unhurriedly.- They had the order of arrest, perfectly made out ana convincing. Ho' must go with them to the authorities. COMFORTING. Tho "captain" comforted him with the assurance: "Be tranquil; for if you are innocent and calumniated you will have justice. But now there is nothing to do, for wo must obey our orders." But they could riot permit him to telephone to his family, who would bo anxious about him if hfy did not go home as usual to his midday meal; uor to his lawyer. His shop door was locked, and for two hours tho "captain" and the "marshal" made out and signed the list most officially, collected his stock, and imposed their police power on him; the taxi with the fat chauffeur waiting in front. All the loot gathered, from show windows, sh6w cases, cupboards, and safe, they unlocked tho door, locked it again, kept the key, and settled thcmselv.es in the taxi with their prisoner between a.iid: the suitcase of jewels on his knees. .: Asked where they were taking him, they responded: "To the prison Kegina Coeli." Out of courtesy, they said, they would not put handcuffs on him. And to tho Regiua Cooli they actually took him, tho "captain" 'delivering His prisoner to tho guard with the required official formalities, signing the commitment, saluting thi? prison official in correct military fashion,-and departing. DISCOVERY. The jeweller was put in a cell, collected his thoughts, let his uneasy suspicions conic to the surface, and called tor a. prison official to hear.his troubles. Tho police station from ; which tho ■"captain" professed to como was visited by 'the prison official who received the jeweller'as prisoner, accompanied ;byl his prisoner; arid.lo! there was no such captaiu there, nor, on investigation, anywhere among tho Carabinieri. Gone were the pseudo captain and marshal; gone was the yellow suitcaso with tho. entire stock-in-trade of jowellry. ' There was great activity of the police. Arrests were made, delinquents dragged out of their hiding-holes; , a man held who is at least identified by the prison official who noticed him casually when ho delivered his prisoner, and by tho ieweller, who was so distracted by -His experience that ho may bo confused. The man is an old offender, and is making no admissions to aid the police. The "marshal" with tho suitcaso full of jewellry has vanished.