SENSELESS THIEVES

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 October 1928, Page 5

SENSELESS THIEVES

LEAVE CHAOS HOUSE. (Special to “Star.’? CHRISTCHURCH, October 12. Wanton mischief or disappointed spite prompted thieves who broke into the house of James Goodman, 149, Linwood Avenue, yesterday afternoon, obtaining only a woman’s gold watch as the result of a protracted and thorough search. They strewed cleaning polish, butter and jam all through the house, Over walls, floor and ceiling. Everything that could be opened was turned over, looked into, or moved, and tackled by the thieves, who must have had plenty of time to do thenwork. Possibly it was known to them that the house was gong to be vacant for a considerable 'time from yesterday. A heavy steel ruler was evidently used to force open the locks of wardrobes, the implement being bent aiid twisted out of shape in the process, tn the complete ransacking that took place, chests of drawers -and desk drawers were opened and their contents left to lie where they fell; even pigeonholes were looked into. As ah illustration of their earnest intent, the would-be thieves went to the length of emptying out from a collarbox the cotton wool with which it was filled.

“I once saw the police search an ohice for documents, but I don’t believe even they could have made such a thorough search of the house,” said Mr Goodman to-day. . “Fortunately, there was no money in the place,, for if there had been they would have got it. As a matter of fact, I have only one valuable article there, that would fetch me well over £lOO if it was sbld in the prbper quarter, but the biirglars did ndt realise its value, thdugh they movdd it in the course of tlieir work.”

The pantry provided the thieves with the means for making a mess of the house. Jars of jam were the chief supplies in their senseless action. When the owners of the place returned yesterday, they were confronted by disorder that took a considerable time to rectify. Still, as Mi’ Goodman philosophically remarked to a reporter, “it might have been worse.”

THE MAYOR’S “VISITORS.” The burglary at the Mayor’s residence last night was the second occasion within a week, on which he has received such a visitation. Mr Archer stated to-day that a lady who was the guest of Mrs Archer and himself told him a week ago that while she was alone in the house she heard someone open the back door and then close it again. Apparently the intruder on that Occasion thought there was no one in the house, but as soon as he realised that the house was not deserted, he cleared out. “I pooh-poohed the idea of attempted burglary at the time she told me of the incident,” said Mr Archer, "but I feel satisfied now there was an attempt to burgle the house. Two of the three watches stolen from the house last night belonged to the lady guest. The only other article missing, so far as is known, is a flashlight torch.”