BRUTAL THIEF

Northern Advocate, 18 April 1933, Page 10

BRUTAL THIEF

WOMAN KNOCKED INSENSIBLE

BLOWS WITH A HAMMER

SYDNEY, April 3,

A brutal thief attacked Mrs. Emily Smith, 46, of McElhone Street, East Sydney, with a hammer in Victoria Road, Bellevue Hill, on Saturday night. He struck her about the head and shoulders with the weapon, knocked her unconscious, and ran away with her handbag, which contained £OS worth of jewellery and money. He stole the. money, £2 12/6, but abandoned the jewellery.

The attack took place about 250 yards from Cranbrook School, and yesterday the boys of the college assisted the police in a search for clues to the crime. One of them discovered Mrs. Smith’s handbag in a shed in the school sports ground. The bag contained Mrs. Smith's jewellery—three diamond rings, a gold wristlet watch, and some trinkets, valued at £O2 7/0.

Mrs. Smith’s head was cut open and her shoulders Avere bruised. She was unconscious for a long time. Several stitches wore inserted in her wounds. Yesterday she recovered considerably in St. Vincent’s Hospital, and last night was considered to be out of danger.

Mrs. Smith, avlio is employed by Mr; McVernon, of Drumalbyn Road, Bellevue Hill, Avas v on her Avay home about 7.00 p.m. She turned into Victoria Road, and' when in dark shad gays cast by trees her attacker sprang out upon her. The man had been hiding behind an electric transformer, which is about six feet square. Ho battered the woman into insensibility, and left her lying on the footpath while he escaped.

Shortly afterwards the unconscious form of the woman Avas found by Miss Eileen Saunders, who lives close by. Miss Saunders had her taken into a. nearby house, and the ambulance and the police were summoned.

A police AAfireless patrol car/ under DotcctiA r c-Sergeant Silcoek, soon began a search. A blood-stained hammer AA r as found about 15 yards from Avhere Mrs Smith Avas attacked. It had apparently been flung aAvay by the footpad in his flight. The police assumed that he Avas on foot, and made a search of the locality, without result. The Aveapon was an ordinary claw hammer.

After the thief had committed the crime he apparently sought, refuge in the grounds of Cranbrook School, which are further along Victoria Road, and also face -\ew South Head Road. He entered a shed in the sports ground, and apparently examined the contents of the handbag and extracted the money. Me cunningly discarded the jewellery, which might have led to his identification and arrest if he attempted to dispose of it. The shed is about 20 or .‘lO yards from one of the entrances to the ground.