RAIDERS’ BIG HAUL

Evening Star, Issue 18046, 14 August 1922, Page 5

RAIDERS’ BIG HAUL

SICILIAN BANK LOOTED. The Bank of Sicily was robbed of 555,000 dollars several- weeks ago. The chief of a band of safe-breakers, .Manorana, was induced to confess his guilt after twenty minutes’ interview with the police. He consistently maintained that ho was innocent of all knowledge of the plot until, questioned for the twenty-first time, ho lost nerve, and- made an admission. Martorana was one of the day watchmen of the bank, and introduced his accomplices into the building early on Sunday morning. They remained hidden until 1 o’clock on that day, when they began the work, which occupied five hours. Previously the iron bars of a spyhole leading into the strong-room had been cut through, and then held in place by black wax. The men squeezed through this hole, and set about making an opening into the roof of one of the five iron sates in the strongroom. AH the 555,000 dollars in Treasury notes was removed from the safe. Bags containing 18,750 dollars in gold were left untouched as being too bulky to carry. The thieves escaped by the main entrance one by one while Martorana engaged the doorkeeper in conversation. More than 21,600 dollars of the money has been recovered and five arrests made, including a skilled mechanic known to the police and a woman who was found in possession of some of the missing notes.