THIEVES AT MOUNT ROSKILL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12524, 17 March 1904, Page 5

THIEVES AT MOUNT ROSKILL.

GROCERY ESTABLISHMENT BROKEN

INTO. Taiisvss are still- busy, and at an early tout on Tuesday morning the grocery ' esS&blisnment of Mr, S. W. Smeaton/ comer of View and Mount Eoskill Roads, was broken into by these undesirable members of society. Mr. Smeeton having bad previous experience of nocturnal visitors, had taken the precaution of having iron bats placed ' across the windows at the back'of hi* premises, and ha* 1 also since made it a practice to clear the till of cftiih before shutting up of an evening. The:; thieves, • however, appear to have found the bars no obstacle, as they were forced, and the window smashed, an entrance thus being effected to the storeroom, from which they had no difficulty in making their way into the front shop. The various drawers having been ransacked without result, the thieves evidently determined not to leave empty-handed, and procuring a couple of bags they made a selection from the provisions, and also secured a small quantity of tobacco. Having filled their bags, they decided to partake of their morning meal befoi*o departing, and, calmly procuring a couple of plates from stock, they seated. themselves and enjoyed on ample repast. 'It was now after five a.m., and just as one of the thieves got clear of the premises a milkman named Wouch, who was on his early delivery, passed, by. The circumstances being suspicious, he crossed over to eno of the men, who immediately dropped big bag and decamped. The milkman gave chase, but the quarry proved too fleet of foot, and got away. The second man, who got out in time to witness the chase, also dropped his bag, and ran off in 1 another direction, ihus the- thieves, though fortified inwardly, failed to get away with the provisions, the whole of which were recovered. The matter is being investigated by the police.