BURGLARY SCARE AT PARNELL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12293, 10 June 1903, Page 5

BURGLARY SCARE AT PARNELL.

AN UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT. That burglars are still haunting the suburbs, was demonstrated in a fairly alarming manner at the grocery establishment kept fry Mr. W. J. Hicks, Alpha Road, Paraell, during the early hour" of yesterday morning. The premises were securely fastened, but a. key had been left in one of the locks, on the inside of the door, of course. At a time when everything was quiet— respect-able people being in bed— the key was heard by a member of Mr. Hicks' family to fall with a clatter upon the floor. Some alarm was felt, but fortunately the attempt that was being made to burgle the shop proved abortive. A subsequent examination of the door revealed traces of the use of pincers, whilst the key which had been left in it had also been, npned at the end. There is no doubt that somebody or other endeavoured to secure a hold of the key with nippers from outside th" door, with "a view to turning it. J-he leck jammed, however, and the key fell. It cannot be too widely known that a door is not properly secured against unwelcome intruders by merely locking it and leaving the key on the inside. An experienced cracksman, under such circumstances, rarely has little trouble in making use of the key to open (he door.