SAFES BLOWN OPEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15557, 14 March 1914, Page 8

SAFES BLOWN OPEN.

BURGLARS AGAIN APPEAR.

BOOT FACTORIES VISITED.

LITTLE MONEY SECURED.

Explosives were used by burglars to open rofcs in two boot factories in Wakefield Street which they entered between Thursday evening and yesterday morning, by forcing open the front door .in each building. From the safe in Messrs. Trenwith Bros.' factory nearly £5 was secured, but no money was found in the safe belonging to Mr. R. Walton.

The burglaries were • discovered early yesterday morning, when the two factories were reopened for work. In neither instance had they been visited for any legitimate purpose after the usual closing hour on Thursday evening, and so far as can be learned the explosions by which the two safes wero wrecked were not heard by anyone lesident in the neiglibourhood. A good deal of daring was shown by the the burglars in forcing the front doors of of- the factories, for Wakefield Street is rarely deserted even during the early hours of the morning. Having effected an entrance, the burglars took pains that they should not be discovered by the noise of their operations' for in one ' case they moved a safe away ♦Rom the street frontage and in both utilised quantities of packing material and leather to deaden the sounds of the explosions.

From its usual position in the office in the front of the factory, the burglars carried Mr. Walton's safe into an enclosed yard between tho two building* which "comprise his premises. There was no money in the safe and the books and papers which it contained were not disturbed. Marks judged to be those of gloved hands were observed yesterday on some putty which had been used in fixing the explosixe by which the door of the safe was destroyed. ! T>vo safes are used by Trenwith Bros. The main office is on the street frontage and the safes'were in a room behind it. Apparently the partition was judged to be sufficient protection for one of the safes was turned on to its back, holes drilled round the lock, and the operation completed by the use of an explosive. From this safe- nearly £5 was obtained. Operations urate commenced on the other safe, but the charge was not exploded. , Seven or eight years ago a similar burglary was committed at this factory, and on that occasion also about £5 was secured. Subsequently a man was convicted on a charge relating to it and-sen-tenced to a term of improsonment.