A RING BURGLARY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12991, 7 October 1905, Page 2 (Supplement)

A RING BURGLARY.

GANG OF EXPERT JEWEL THIEVE, On August 19 it was discovered that a daring burglary had been committed during the Might at 16, North End, Croydon, which is used a.s a branch shop by Messrs. H. Samuel, jewellers, of, London and Manchester. The premises were securely fastened up, as usual, when the manager left late on the previous night, but when the assistants arrived to open, the shop in the morning it was found that the -whole of the contents of the wiadoWs. consisting of watches, rings, chains, and other articles, 'together * with a large quantity of jewellery from other parts of the shop, had been removed. Information was at once sent to the police at the headquarters in Fell Road, and an examination of the premises revealed that an entry had been effected by cutting a hole in the roof. It is evident that the robbery was the work of experienced hands, as the wholo stock of 22-carat gold rings, etc., had been appropriated, while all the ninecarat and other goods of inferior quality had been deliberately passed over. It in supposed that it was between eleven; p.m. and daybreak that th? burglars entered. They got on the roof by using a ladder from the alley, and removed several slates. They then sat on the roof and sawed through a joist. They next made a hole in the plaster ceiling big enough to admit a man. One of the Burglars had to enter, and apparently he lowered himself by his hands until he could lit and on the handrail of a banister of the staircase. Thence he jumped to the floor, and the others followed. The next business was to reach the shop, and the burglars pulled up part of the floor boards of the room over it, and began making ai hole in the ceiling. The labour of Sawing through the joists apparently deterred them, and they went downstairs and succeeded in bursting open an iron lattice door which protected the entrance to the shop. The thieves drilled holes in the safe, but failed to open it. They did not get out by standing 011 the banister, but removed a wooden framework which was being constructed to hold shelves, and used it as a ladder by which to reach the hole in the roof. The thieves left behind them a saw and one or two other tools, and on a lookingglass some excellent finger-prints. The police believe the job is the work of an expert gang, of American thieves who have Visited other towns recently. Large iron doors protect the front and rear entrances, and an electric gong, similar to those used on fire engines, sounds an alarm when either of these doors is opened. Mr. Hewitt and his assistants were surprised to find that the front door gong did not act, and an examination showed that it had been disconnected. The police station is within touch of Messrs. Samuel's, and a point constable .is on duty 20 yards away, but nothing was heard. In addition there is a municipal watchman patrolling the streets, paid by the tradesmen. These premises have been attacked five times recently by burglars unsuccessfully. With regard to the value of the stolen property, it was at first reported to be worth £10,000, and one report even spoke of twice that amount. These accounts were much exaggerated. The total loss is estimated at between £2000 and £3000.