BANK ROBBERY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10425, 24 April 1897, Page 2 (Supplement)

BANK ROBBERY.

BIG SUM MISSING FROM A SUNDER-

LAND Bank. A daring bank robbery was perpetrated in Sunderland lately, the thieves getting away with, it is believed, about £6000. The bank at whioli the robbery was committed is the North-Eastern, in Fuwcott-street. When the son of the manager came down in the morning ho found that the lock of the safe would not yield to the ordinary keys. An expert locksmith was sent for, and he managed to open the safe, and it was then seen that during the night a daring and successful robbery had been offected. Copper, silver, gold and notes lay strewn about tho safe, and hurried investigation showed that the burglars must have taken with them something like £3554 in gold, a considerable sum in notes, and, it is believed, some silver. Intelligence of the robbery was at once communioated by tho authorities of the bank to tho police, and detectives arrived at the office to survey the conditions under which the work had boen done. It is supposed that the doors of the bank were opened by a master key whioh was used to ock them again when tho thieves left, The locks of the door leading into tho strong room are three in number, and a knowledge of the combination is necessary to their sucoessful opening. How the thieves managed to deal with the locks of the safes insido it is at present a complete mystery. Some pieces of orange-peol lying about were among the few traoei left by the burglars of their presence in the bank. It is obvious from the condition in which the safes were found, and the amount of money that iB missing, that the thieves carrlod away as much gold as they could. There was a considerable quantity of gold and silver left behind, and the police theory is that the men could not deal with it. The fact that the bank have the numbers of many of the notes that are missing leads to the hope that the burglars will be tracked, though up to the present 110 arrost had been made. The most ourious part of the affair is that the caretaker and his wife, though sleeping in the upper rooms of the premises, heard no noise during tho night. An opinion prevails amongst the polico authorities that the robbery has not beon carried out by local men, but probably by a pang from London. Scotland Yard were communicated with, and strenuous efforts are being made by the police authorities at Sunderland to trace the thieves.