PAPARUA BURGLARY

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIX, Issue 282, 13 November 1929, Page 7

PAPARUA BURGLARY

STRONC-ROOM FORCED BY EXPLOSIVES.

TELEPHONE WIRES CUT,

(Per Press Aseociation.)

Christchurch, Nov. 13.

The steel door of a large strongroom standing about six feet high was forced by explosives and the cash box was taken. When a lady assistant clerk discovered the burglary on Monday morning she endeavoured to call the police by telephone and found the wires were cut. Though the windows were closed on Saturday they were not fastened and it was by this means that the burglars gained entry. There is a record of all the cheques stolen, the largest of which was for £169 13/9. Four bankings had been made during the week, including three on the Thursday preceding the burglary. The thieves overlooked £lOO in the pay envelopes.

Some time during the week-end, probably Sunday night, the strongroom and safe of the Paparna (Canterbury) County office was blown open by thieves. They stole cheques to the value of £285 and £94 in notes and silver of the county’s money, and £ll, the property oj the country clerk, Mr G. Maginnes. The explosion was heard by a nearby resident shortly after midnight on Sunday. The thieves had cut the telephone wires in the office. They overlooked a large number of pay envelopes which were also in the strong-room.