JEWEL THEFT

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 October 1946, Page 7

JEWEL THEFT

THE WINDSORS ROBBED BIGGEST RAID EVER RECORDED IN BRITAIN MANY,THOUSANDS INVOLVED (Rec. 10.45 a.m.) LONDON, Oct. 17. Jewellery worth thousands of pounds belonging to the Duke anti Duchess of Windsor was stolen from Ednam Lodge, Sunningdale, the. Windsors’ holiday home. The Evening News exclusively stated that the burglars robbed the Windsors- of jewellery worth at least £250,000, but,a Press- Association correspondent was informed at Ednam Lodge that the value of the stolen jewels was below £25,000 and the loss was covered by insurance. The robbery was carried out at dusk yesterday. Practically Every Valuable. The Evening News says practically every valuable the Windsors possessed was taken, but £30,000 worth of jewellery was found strewn in the grounds surrounding Ednam Lodge. The Press Association says the Duchess of Windsor’s collection of 'jewellery was estimated to be valued jat £250,000, including complete sets of blue sapphires, rubies, emeralds, ’diamonds, and turquoises. The I Duchess brought all the jewels from 'France on October 11, but placed most of them in a safe deposit. | Describing the raid as the biggest ' ever carried out in Britain, the Evening News says the thieves went to ! the Duchess’s bedroom, opened a large black box in which practically all the Windsors’ jewels .were kept, and took all the jewel cases from the box. It adds that three of Scotland Yard’s best brains are investigating. Scotland Yard Called In. The Surrey police called in the Yard when the extent of the robbery was discovered. Scotland Yard men are investigating whether the robbery was the work of cat burglars entering the bedrooms after climbing to the roof or by “walk-in” thieves entering the grounds by the gate and walking into the house by the main door. . The burglars were not heard, although practically all *the staff was in the house.