BUSY BURGLARS IN FEILDING

Feilding Star, Volume 5, Issue 1202, 12 September 1927, Page 5

BUSY BURGLARS IN FEILDING

THREE ESCAPADES YESTERDAY 1 NiGHTWATCHMAN GASKIN SPRINGS A SURPRISE BET MISSES HIS MAX A burglar or burglars spent a busy time among Feihling business bone.--, jast night and aided by a. rugli wind t,W(| grocery and general stores and n, large department store were, successfully entered without attracting the attention oi any person who might have been in 1 be. neighbourhood at the time. The Borough nightwatphman, Mr S. (Jaskin, whose services during the long hours of darkness have proved to be a valuable asset, to the town made another surprising discovery, but as lie entered the- back door In ope incident his man'escaped by the frontdoor and vanished. So far as can lie, gathered, the nefarious operations of breaking and entering began at 11.30 o’clock lasi, evening, when the Public Service Stores in X imho Ron road were entered . In this instance money seems to have, been the object, the cash register. having been forced and between Co and £0 in silver and 15s worth of st : -anips in one penny and

twopenny denominations appropriate

The ponds remained untouched. The a intruder departed unobserved, and ‘ the visit was not known until Mr , Frank Taylor. son of the proprietor, who, with this family, resides at the back of the premises, returned home about 11 o’clock and found his bed-

room window prized open. The scene, of operations then shifted to the genera,l store "in Denbigh street owned by Mr W. it. Alsop. ..Some time after 11 o’clock last night, following the incident at the Public .Service 'Store,, entry was gained to i lie living quarters while- the family, live in number, were asleep. The burglar seen red a. razor and brush from... the bathroom and an electric torch together with a ring of keys .in, another room. Taking a, great risk, although His movements were perhaps silenced by the wind, the person entered the business premises and with the keys attempted to open fortunately the particular key happened to he in Mr Alsop’s bedforfni. Between 4s and os were fa km?" from the till, together with stamps to the value of 10s, while a quantity of cigarettes were also secured.. Tlve burglar left the shop by the frontdoor without attracting the least attention and the affair was not, discovered until this morning.

INTERRUPTED IN COBLE’S AV 2 'o’clock this morning the night-watchman paid his usual visit to the premises of John. Cobbo and Co., in Alan Chester street, trying all doors and windows front and rear. M r Gaskin returned on His beat about 3.50 ,a.ni. and iflashed his torch through the main, doors fronting M anelies-ler street.

Twenty minutes later, after Juiving inspected other premises, he mad? his way around the back of Cohbe’s There is a flight of stairs from the yard leading to the first floor and up this Mr Gaskin flashed his light and -almost immediately .noticed that a small pa-ie of glass in a door, nhout lour inches square, had been shattered .

Investigation disclosed that the key had been turned . in. the lock, hut a

,stout sl/'ding holt temporarily cheeked the burglar’s entrance. This was completely ■ wrenched from its fastenings and the woodwork shattered, as if l:>y the force of a strong man, for there were no signs of an implement having been. used. Onen, open-, the door gave access to the dressmaking department and fitting rooms. Tlio ground floor was gained through sliding fire-proof doors, which had been unlocked, and down the main staircase. The sliding lire-proof doors leading to Lke millinery, men’s clothing and other departments had all heeni opened and a lour of the whole premises .seemed evident.

It was in the men’s department that tin? burglar reaped Iris harvest, and so far as can be ascertained at the moment a suit of clothes, a. tweed overcoat travelling bag and small odds and ends of apparel were seleetml.

The oflice was entered and the cash boxes opened, but luckily all Saturday 'night’s takings were safely deposited in. the strongroom, in another part of the boi'ldlng. it wili lake some time fur the heads of departments to ascertain the extent of the thefts but the Hi ■in’s loss 1$ noi small one.

H is surmised that when ihe niglrtwatclimn.n. flashed his torch hi the- men’s door at a. few; minutes to -I o'clock, the burglar^was then still in the building and left when -Mr Oaskin discovered tiro broken window -at the back, for the door was found wide open just after the hour had struck.

Tlie police have the matters in hand, and are making investigations.