RARE BLUE DIAMOND

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21456, 1 April 1933, Page 3 (Supplement)

RARE BLUE DIAMOND

STOLEN IN DAYLIGHT WORK OF FOUR BANDITS One of the mosl beautiful diamonds in the world —once the centre stone in the crown of an Eastern prince—was stolen in a daylight smash-and-grab raid in the West End of London recently. Valued at £7OOO, it was set in a ring, which was lifted with a pair of pliers from the shop window of James Ogden and Sons, Ltd., in Duke Street, St. James'. Four bandits carried out the raid. Three drove slowly along in a blue saloon car, and as they approached the shop a young man in a blue serge suit, who had been walking just ahead on the pavement, punched a six-inch hole in the glass with a brick wrapped in paper, and, with the pliers, hooked the ring through the bars of a steel grille. Women screamed and men shouted — one hurled a suitcase at the thief—but tiie man darted to the car, jumped on the running-board, arid was whisked round the corner and out of sight before the jewellers' staff had time to reach the door. An errand boy took the number of the car, and was also able to give the police, a description of the man who broke the window. " The stone is of 10.60 carats, and is one of the most beautiful diamonds in the world," said Mr. J. Ogden, a principal of the firm. " It has a delicate bluewhite lustre, is three-quarters of an inch square, and very deep. Collectors and merchants all over the world are familiar with its appearance and history, so that it will be a difficult matter for the thieves to dispose of it." In the window with the ring wero jewels valued in all at £35,000, among thorn a diamond bracelet, worth £4OOO. " The fact that nothing else was taken from the window except this ring suggests to Mr. Ogden said, "that the robbery had been planned very carefully by the thieves."

As soon as the police arrived warnings were telephoned to railway stations, Channel ports and aerodromes in order to prevent the stone from being smuggled to the Continent. The Continental police were also warned.