Post Office Robbed and Fired

Manawatu Times, Volume 60, Issue 194, 19 August 1935, Page 6

Post Office Robbed and Fired

£IOOO Damage Caused

BATTERED SAFE FOUND SOME DISTANCE AWAY

Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Last Night. Damage estimated at about £IOOO was done by a fire which broke out shortly after thieves had visited the combined post and telegraph office at Kumeu early this morning and removed the office safe. The building, which housed the telephone exchange serving Kumeu and district, was completely destroyed, and with it was burned a quantity of mail intended for the rural delivery.

Although detectives commenced an inquiry and made widespread investigation throughout the day, no arrests have been made. The safe, with its heavy door torn from its hinges, was found at the side of the load between Taupaki and Waitakerc. The contents of the drawers and two cash boxes, a small sum of money, and a quantity of postage and unemployment stamps, oj a total value of about fill, were missing, although the safe still contained a number of books and office records which were slightly damaged as a re suit, of exposure to the weather.

It has not been definitely established whether the lire was caused dclibately or whether it followed an unsuccessful attempt to blow open the safe Whatever its cause the outbreak oc eurred shortly after the safe had been removed by the thieves, who mads their raid between midnight and 1.90 a.in.

The lire was first noticed by Dr. liar ris, .whose home is a short distance from the post office. Members of hi; household said the building, a small wooden structure of two rooms, was a mass of flames wlmit they iirst noticed the outbreak. Nothing could be done to extinguish the flames, which were

Canned by a boisterous westerly wind and carried toward the telegraph pole outside the post office. The pole was charred almost from top to bottom ami the crossbars carrying the wires were partly consumed. The postmistress, Miss Wright, who lives at Jluapai, was roused by Dr. Harris and she was driven to Waitakcre, the nearest telephone exchange, to report tiie lire which, up to that stage, was believed to be purely accidental. On the return trip, howeverthe driver of tiie car noticed what he took to be a large box at the side of the road between Waitakcro and Taupaki. He stopped to investigate and found the safe from the post office, broken open and rifled. The two cash boxes were both forced open and the two drawers who had been wrenched from inside the safe were nearby. Although it is obvious that a motorcar or truck was used to carry the safe from Kumcti to where it wafound about four miles away, tin police received no reports of an;; motor vehicle having been stolen. The work of restoring telephone communication was commenced by a telegraph gang about three o'clock, while the wreckage of the post office was still smouldering, and by eight o’clock one toll line was available for

use. Arrangements were made to set up a temporary telephone exchange in the waiting room at Kumeu railway station a short distance away from the post office, ami the necessary equipment was brought, from Auckland with all possible despatch. The post office at Kumeu had beet broken into twice previously in about the lust live wears.

More Auckland Burglaries

CAR AND SAFE STOLEN Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Aug.' 17. An office safe measuring 4ft by 2l:t and a motor-ear were stolen from the Auckland Motor Company’s premises last night by burglars, who climbed over the roof of an adjoining building and down a light well to gain entry. In the premises of the Towel' Supply Company next door the burglars exploded gelignite in the keyhole of a large strongroom. The explosion blew the bolts out except one which held, and an attempt to open the door failed. There was a considerable sum of money inside. The premises of a radio firm were also entered, but nothing was stolen.

The stolen safe, which contained the firm’s books and a small sum of money, was found to-day near the Orakci wharf. It had been blown open.

It has been noticeable lately that burglaries have been committed on Friday nights, the object evidently being to secure shopkeepers’ takings after the late shopping night.