THEFT OF JEWELLERY

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXX, Issue 4872, 18 July 1936, Page 5

THEFT OF JEWELLERY

CHARGE WITHDRAWN.

. PERTH TRAGEDY RECALLED

(Press Association.—Copyright.) (Received 12.10 p.m.) Perth, this day.

The Crown Law Department has decided not to proceed with the charge against Cyril Thomas Brennan, of having stolen five thousand pounds' worth of diamond rings from the shop of Caris Bros., Perth, and Brennan was released from custody. Brennan has served eleven months of the ten years' sentence on a charge of having unlawfully killed Edgar Arthur Whitfield, caretaker of Caris Bros.' He appealed unsuccessfully to the State Court of Criminal Appeal against his conviction for manslaughter, but the High Court ordered a retrial which ended in Brennan's acquittal this week. He was immediately rearrested on the charge that has now been withdrawn.

The body of Mr. Whitfield was found on the evening of February 5, 1935, at the rear of Caris Brothers' shop. His neck was broken and diamonds valued at £4OOO to £SOOO were missing from the safe. Mr. Whitfield was seen at about 10 p.m. transferring diamonds from the window to ' the safe in accordance with his usual custom. Later the police received a telephone message from an unknown man who said he had heard a crash of glass in the shop. Investigation by the police revealed Mr. Whitfield's body and evidence of the theft.