DARING ROBBERY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCV, Issue 10919, 30 March 1896, Page 6

DARING ROBBERY.

A most daring and impudent- robbery took place at Papanui during Friday night at Mr W. Horner’s grain stores. It appears that, the place was' left secure on the previous evening, and on being visited next morning was found to have been broken open. Investigation showed that the safe, weighing about a quarter of a ton, was missing, as well as a truck which was used about the premises. Further search revealed the safe about a mile up the Harewood Eoad, until the truck beside it. It had been cut open with tpols taken from Mr Harriss’s blacksmith’s shop, which were also • lying, with it. For* tunately, however, ■ the money had • been removed on the previous evening, and the robbers got nothing for their pains. Mr Hookham’s saddler’s shop at Papanui was also found to have been entered, and the cash-box taken. In this case also the thieves failed to get any money. The shop of Mr'Roberts, hairdresser and tobacconist, opposite Mr Horner’s store, was also broken into, and tobacco and cigars, to the value of about £5, stolen. The robberies seem to show that there is a gang of expert burglars in Christchurch at the present time.