THIEVES IN BUILDING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21907, 17 September 1934, Page 8

THIEVES IN BUILDING

SEVEN OFFICES SEARCHEufg MONEY FROM CASH-BOXES DISAPPEARANCE OF OVER £24 If SILK STOCKINGS STOLEN Jg Practically every oflice in the build- F§ ing known as Elliott's Block, Elliott Street, City, was ransacked by thieve# between noon on Saturday and jesterday morning and money totalling over £24, as well as silk stockings valued at v i§ £ls, was stolen. The full extent of the thefts was not known yesterday, -Jf as some of the tenants of offices in \ .-if the building had not been located. The - thieves made a thorough search of the premises of at least seven concerns.From outside there was nothing indicate that intruders had been in the building, as the main door, by whieh they are believed to have left, was closed when one of the tenants arrived yesterday morning. On going inside, however, he saw that his own office had been entered,- and he informed the „ police. Detectives found that the thieves had been through practically - the whole building, forcing open office doors and ransacking cash boxes. The thieves entered from the back |§| of the building, which they reached after scaling a wall and walking down a narrow right-of-way. They forced •; open a window giving access to the * office of Mr. W. C. Beaumont, manufacturers'' representative, but did not steal anything there. They opened the door , from the inside, and once in the passages, had little difficulty in enter- fg ing other premises on several floors. In each case they either smashed a ;; glass panel in the door to reach through and release the lock, or else broke in with the aid of a jemmy.

From the premises of G. S. Amos and Company, Limited, silk stocking* valued at about £ls were stolen, but no money was found, although a desk ; " was broken open and searched. Mr. R. G. Kain, merchant, had over £l2 taken < from a cash box, while a cash box is the office of Bond's Hosiery Mill, Limited, yielded about £9. A cash box was also found in the office of Hillcastle (N.Z.), Limited, and from this over £3 was stolen.

The doors of two other offices were also forced open. As the occupant* could not be found yesterday, however, it is not known whether anything was stolen.

From the extent of the thieves' activities and the thorough manner in which each office was searched, it is assumed they were in the . building for an appreciable time.