A BALMAIN BURGLARY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12759, 9 January 1905, Page 3

A BALMAIN BURGLARY.

SUCCESS OF THE FINGER-PRINT METHOD. Sydxkv, December 31. The mysteiy attending the jewellery robbery in Terry-street, Balmain, has now been unravelled, and the utility of the Bertillon method of identifying people by finger-prints has been again demonstrated. The police noticed on the window, which had been broken by the burglar, some well-defined finger-prints, and these were carefully photographed. One finger appeared to have a very peculiar mark, or formation of skin lines, on the tip, the peculiarity almost amounting to a suggestion of malformation. The whole marks were quite sufficient to serve for the purpose desired. The task, however, was to find the owner of the fingers making the marks. In the course of their inquiries, the -police heard that a young man who lived near the house that- was broken into bad been seen in the street on the night of the robbery, and he was accordingly questioned, though more as to what be nad seen than anything else, as there was then do suspicion about, him. He gave somewhat confused answers, and when shown the knife with which the burglar- prized open the window he grew still more confused, and hesitated when asked if it was bis property. This induced the police to obtain a print from his fingers, and this was found to correspond with that found on the window. He was greatly agitated when this was made clear to him, ami finally admitted that be knew where the stolen goods were, giving information which led to the discovery of the whole of the jewellery. It was found buried in the garden at the rear of his house. The police estimate the lot to be worth about £60 or £70. At the Balmain Police Court yesterday. the' man under arrest was charged with breaking and entering, and was remanded