WOMAN WATCHES BURGLARS

Greymouth Evening Star, 27 February 1937, Page 6

WOMAN WATCHES BURGLARS

“BEHAVED LIKE GENTLEMEN.” SYDNEY, February 18. Two burglars who robbed the home of Mr. Archer Whitford, at Aston Gardens, Victoria-road, Bellevue Hill, Were gentlemen with a keen sense of humour, in the opinion of Mrs. Whitford. They escaped with jewellery and money valued at £lOO. Mrs. Whitford said that, she was awakened at 5.15 a.m. on Tuesday by two men in her bedroom. They were opening drawers, and although it was almost daylight, were using an electric torch. In the room with Mrs. Whitford was her month-old baby. “I was too afraid to scream for help in case’ they injured me,” said Mrs. Whitford, “so 1 just lay quietly and 'watched them through my half-opened eyes. I feigned to be asleep. They had gloves on, and one of them said to the other as he opened a drawer ‘Mind your white gloves.’ Then the baby yawned, and the man, lifting his gloved finger, exclaimed ‘Ssh. We had better go now bofore we disturb the I baby.’ Then they went quietly out, and closed the bedroom door like per-' feet gentlemen. In another room., however, they disturbed the nursemaid. I and her screaming awakened Mr. Whitford, who was sleeping in another part! of the house. He saw the two men! disappearing out of the house, and chased them to the corner of Victoriaroad, where they jumped into a motor car and escaped. “Previously they had been in Mr. Whitford’s room, and had rifled his clothes, taking his money and his watch. The milkman saw the men running away, and one of them was wearing the hat of my son, aged eight. | Could you imagine anything morel funny—two burglars running off, one wearing a. boy’s grey felt hat with the badge of the Cranbrook School?” Most of the property stolen is identifiable, and detectives are searching for the two men. It is believed that they escaped in a car which had been reported stolen earlier from Double ’ Buy. Later this car was found abandoned at Redfern.