GOLD NUGGETS STOLEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13307, 13 October 1906, Page 2 (Supplement)

GOLD NUGGETS STOLEN.

DARING ROBBERY IN THE _ .. . WEST END. A burglary - which rank? with some of the most sensational of recent- years took place in London. As a result, thieves have got away with two valuable gold nuggets, rich not only in gold, but in .historical value. A year "ago the New South Wales Government .sent- across to England two nuggets for exhibition purposes. They were the linest specimens; yet discovered on the Mother Shipton Reef, at Temora, the richest reef not only in Australia, but in the world. No. "1" was valued at £1250. No. "2'' was smaller, mid was worth about £150. These nuggets had been on view in the window of the Orient Pacific Steamship _ Line in Oockspur-street, Trafalgar Square, and it was from there that they were stolen in the early hours of the morning. The window has no shutters, but the nuggets were considered to be safe, in view of the constant patrol of police up and down the thoroughfare. 'lire thelt was, .however, cleverly planned. A policeMail kid just passed," and had taken note that the gold quartz whs safe, when {'our men walked rapidly up. broke the w imlow, and .ran off. at high speed with (lie nuggets. The window was broken, the.police believe, with a bri<;k wrapped many times round with cloth, but the thieves took care to leave nothing behind. A woman and a, man saw them run off, and have given their descriptions to the beet of • their ability. They were young men, and it is thought that in the case of three, at least,' the descriptions are full enough for identification. One of these was a dark young man, • about 20 years of age, and was dressed in a blue suit. The other was : about the same age, and wore a, brown jacket suit ed a dark cap, A third seemed to l>e about 18, wore a brown suit, and carried & large stick. The police took away several articles bearing finger-prints, but these have turned out. to be of no value. " The nuggets were insured for the sum of £1396 in the Ocean Accident and Guarantee Association, who are offering a reward for the discovery of the thieves. They will, .however, it is thought, have little difficulty in disposing, of their loot. They can very easily, knock away, the quartz binding the gold and ,melt down the 'actual .metal. At the Commercial Department of .the New South Wales Government in Cannon-street it was . stated that the larger and more valuable piece of quartz was 053 ounces in weight, and was beyond question the. richest piece of quartz reef in'the world. It was mined in 1882 at a depth. of 90ft from the surface. De-tective-Inspector Fuller and Sergeant Womack are busy following up the case for .Scotland Yard. ■ '■