MIDNIGHT ROBBERS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16551, 15 May 1914, Page 11

MIDNIGHT ROBBERS.

A THAMES BURGLARY. [Per Press Association.] THAMES, May 14. A case presenting some sensational features was before the Court to-day, when Leslie Lionel Grant, a youthful postal employee, George Augustus Smith, who recently arrived from England with an invalid father, F. Spencer and A. Billings, a travelling showman, were charged with breaking and entering premises by night. The house broken into was that of the officer in charge of the Post Office Savings Bank Department, who possessed the keys of tho strong room, which contained a large sum of money. Equipped with electric torches, the four visited the official's residence at midnight, entered by a window and secured thirty shillings, but failed in the endeavour to secure tho keys. Though one wore in-dia-rubber shoes and the others were barefooted, they mado a noise which awakened the occupants of the room. The people of the house endeavoured to seize tho robbers, who fled. A surprising development of the case was that the youthful participants planned the burglary and induced the elder ones to join, and tho younger pair burgled several other premises and stole money and valuables.

The prisoners pleaded guilty, and were committed to tho Supremo Court for sentence.