AUCKLAND'S THIEVES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXI, Issue LXII, 15 May 1912, Page 6

AUCKLAND'S THIEVES.

ANOTHER ROBBERY, «t 1 JELEGBAPH- P4ESB • ASgOOI ATICW. AUCKLAND, May 13. At 3.15 p.m. yesterday the manager of Mr Jas. Pascoe's jewellery establishment in Karangahape Road answered a call to the telephone. Speaking in. a nicely modulated tone the caller on the telephone said: "This is Mr Nathan speaking, and as I want to make a pre-' sent to a young lady who,has been very: kind to me I shall be glad if you will send some diamond rings round to my residence in Karangahape Road for me to -select from."; The speaker also said that he had a marble clock which required attention and that the messenger bringing the .rings could take the clock back to the shop. Knowing that some years ago when employed by anoother jeweller Mr Pascoe used to attend to Mr Nathan's clocks, the manager, naturally anxious to make the sale^ took four likely rings out of the stock,; and entrusted them to a watch-maker, employed on th^premises to take along to Mr David Nathan's house, "St. Kevens,"^ Karangahape Road, for a selection to be made. On arrival at the gate of "St. Kevins" the messenger met a man carrying an overcoat over his arm. The stranger said: "You are from Pascoe's and you have a small parcel for me. I am Mr Nathan." Satisfied from his manner as to the man's bona fides the messenger had no hesitation in handing over the parcel of rings with which he had been sent. The stranger upon receiving them said: "That will be all right. I will choose one and send the others back." He added that the clock which required repairing was down at the warehouse (presumably Messrs L. D. Nathan and Co.'c), and that he. would send for it and send it along to Mr Pascoe later on. The messenger returned to the shop leaving the stranger and incidentally tlie diamond,rings at the gate of Mr D. Nathan's residence. When, he reached the shop and it was ascertained from him what had occurred suspicions were aroused, and Mr David Nathan was immediately rung up. Mr Nathan denied all knowledge of the telephone message wheih had resulted in handing over the rings, and it was then clear that the whole^ thing was a ruse to obtain possession of as many rings as the jeweller might feel ,disposed to send along.