JONATHAN WILD.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXIX, Issue LXIX, 26 May 1915, Page 2

JONATHAN WILD.

The great find of stolen property in what is known as the "treasure house" case, which recently figured in the English press, revives memories of Jonathan Wild, thief-taker and receiver of stolen gcods, who did such a flourishing business with his lost property office in the Old Bailey two centuries ago.

He organised his thieves into gangs, allotting them to the different mam roads to Loudon, to churches, theatres, and public functions, while a special brigade was trained for domestic service. Wild's practice when receiving stolen goods was, if possible, to inform the person who had been robbed^ that they had been detained by a dealer and would be restored on pay-j ment of commission.

Other stolen property was warehoused, and a staff of mechanics was kept for altering watches and jewellery, which were conveyed to the Continent by his own vessel. A trifling matter of the restoration of some stolen lace proved his downfall, and he was hanged at Tyburn on May 24th, 1725. "