SAFE BLOWN OPEN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21906, 15 September 1934, Page 14

SAFE BLOWN OPEN

BURGLAR IN WAREHOUSE ENTIRE OFFICE SEARCHED THEFT OF NOTES AND SILVER A daring burglary, obviously committed by an experienced safe-blower, was discovered yesterday morning at the premises of Hughes and Cossar, Limited, importers, indentors and genoral merchants, 30-34 Swanson Street. City. When menders of the staff arrived they found that the office had been ransacked and that the only locked safe, one kept in the strong-room, had been blown open. About £ll in notes and silver was missing from two cashboxes in the safe, but several cheques were not taken. The burglar is believed to have commenced his operations from Chapel Square. It is thought that he climbed a down-pipe to reach the roof of a neighbouring building, and walked along a ledge to a skylight in the roof of the warehouse of Hughes and Cossar, Limited. The skylight was then forced open, and the thief lowered himself into one of the sample room*. Marks on top of a cabinet gramophone, on which ho evidently landed, indicated that he was wearing sandshoes. A connecting door between the sample room and the main office was forced open, and the thief proceeded to examine the contents of two large safes, each of which had its key in the lock. A smaller office was also searched unsuccessfully, books, papers and records being scattered about the floor. A heavy padlock securing the strongroom door was smashed and the firm's third safe revealed. A charge of explosive proved sufficient to blow the back completely off the safe door, which wa« then opened without difficulty. Two cash-boxes in the safe were forced open and rifled. After refreshing himself with a bottle of ale from the sample room the burglar prepared to leave, but met unexpected difficulties, as he found it impossible to open the main door from the inside. The intruder was unable to smash the stout lock of the main door, but had more success in the despatch department. He broke a padlock securing tho double doors, passed through and closed the doors after him.

An explosion was heard by a member of the staff of the Star Hotel, next door to the firm's premises, about 2 a.m. Later a motor-car was heard being driven away.