BURGLARY IN HASTINGS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIX, Issue 65, 4 March 1929, Page 4

BURGLARY IN HASTINGS

TOBACCONIST’S PREMISES ENTERED. CIGARETTES PIPES, ETC., TAKEN. The premises of Mr Frank/ Whisker, hairdresser and tobacconist, on the corner of Avenue road and warren street, wore broken into between the hOurs of 10.30 p.m. on Saturday and 8.30 a.m. on Sunday morning. It appears that Mr Whisker left the premises secure on Saturday night when ho went home and. on Sunday morning, having occasion to return to the shop, he was amazed to notice that, from the front of the building, he could see daylight through the open side-door, which he had left securely locked and barricaded on Saturday night. He unlocked the front door and, looking round, he found the drawers all ppened and the place rifled of its contents, consisting of tobaccos, cigarettes, pipes, toilet requisites, and in fact everything that the thieves could lay their hands on. A number of articles were packed in a box. ready for transport, but for some reason the intruders left it behind them. In the hairdressing He. partment the marauders were equally thorough in their appropriations, because they swagged everything port, able, even to the scissors, razors, clippers, hair restorers, and emollients, leaving the disgusted proprietor with nothing to carry on his business this morning except a few razors and scissors that he had at his private residence. Fortunately, there was no money on the premises The cracksmen left no doubt as to their mode and means of entry, because a crowbar or large chisel had been used to force the door at tho lock, but as the doot had been fortified on the inside by a stout four by two length of timber, the thieves’ efforts were ineffective, so they smashed in one of the panels, and the insertion of an arm effected the removal of the prop. The rest was easy. They must have done things leisurely, because they left a note, partly printed and partly in script, in which they addressed the proprietor as “Dear Sir,” informing him that they were strangers that hnd blown into the town, and asking him not to inform the police too soon regarding their proceedings. Mr Whisker neglected to follow this instruction and at once placed the matter, as well as the note, in the hands of the authorities.