DARING SAFEBREAKERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21098, 4 February 1932, Page 10

DARING SAFEBREAKERS.

MASKED AND ARMED. WATCHMAN GAGGED AND BOUND. Three masked and armed men bound and gagged the watchman of the garage of the Texas Company (Australasia). Limited, at Balmain, Sydney, on a recent morning, and then tore the bottom' out of a steel safe, from which they stole about £3O. A further £5 was taken from the watchman's coat. Charles Henry Warner, the watchman, said that tho three men suddenly rushed at him from behind an oil lorry, which hid them until they were a few yards from him. Each man held a revolver in his hand, and their faces were partly hidden by handkerchiefs. One of the men held a revolver against Warner's head, while another prodded him in the side with the barrel of his firearm. The third man tied his hands securely, and then gagged and blindfolded him with a handkerchief.

The helpless man was then marched into a near by garage, where his feet were tied. His pockets were searched. Two of the robbers took a bunch of keys, but returned in a few minutes, when they found none of them would fit tlife lock of the safe.

"Wo can do nothing with the safe, so keep this chap here for about half an hour," 0110 of tjio men said to his companion, who was guarding Mr. Warner. The watchman heard his guard light a cigarette and say:—"They avo going to cut tlie bottom out of the safe." In half an hour the men . returned. Their leader walked in front of Mr. Warner, and threatened him. "We will shoot you if you give the alarm before ten minutes. !f you raise the alarm you will be shot, and so will anyone who pokes his head out of tho window." The three men walked rapidly away. The watchman freed himself from his bonds, and telephoned tho police, who found that tho bottom had been cut and ripped from tho safe. The contents, about £3O, had been stolen. The men had disregarded papers and cheques, which were strewn about the ofllca. Mr. Wn rner's coat, which " had been left hanging on a peg, had been searched, and £5 stolen from an inside pocket.