THIEF'S HAUL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23205, 26 November 1938, Page 2 (Supplement)

THIEF'S HAUL

JEWELS WORTH £14,000 RAID ON COUNTRY HOME CASE TAKEN FROM BEDROOM Jewellery valued at approximately £14,000 was stolen from The Haven, the largo country residence at Sandgate, Kent, of Mrs. Maud Knott, a widow, whose London home it at Berkeley Square. Mrs. Knott arrived at Sandgate on a Saturday' on her way from London to Paris, and intended to crOss the Channel next day, taking her jewellery with her. While packing for the journey, however, 31 rs. Knott discovered that her jewel case containing a number of articles had been stolen from her bedroom. Diamond Solitaire The missing property includes a solitaire diamond ring, three diamond bracelets, and a brooch set with diamonds. Mrs. Knott left for Paris on the Monday, leaving police in possession of the house. The jewel case was last seen on the Saturday evening, when it was taken from the wardrobe and placed on the bed while Mrs. Knott selected a pair of diamond earrings to wear that evening. Both Mrs. Knott and the maid are positive that the jewel case was replaced in the wardrobe. Mrs. Knott was away from The Haven between 6.30 and 8 o'clock on the Saturday evening, leaving the maid alone in the house, but during that time the maid heard nothing untoward, and when she went to prepare Mrs. Knott's bed she saw nothing disturbed. £SOOO Ring Even when the loss was discovered nothing in the room was disarranged, and there was no indication as to how a thief or thieves had gained entry. The Haven overlooks the sea and one theory is that someone climbed over the wall from the beach, walked through the garden, climbed on to the balcony outside Mrs- Knott's bedroom and entered the room through the French windows. Messrs. Summers, Henderson and Co., the assessors, are offering a reward of £IOOO for information which will lead to tho recovery of the jewels, the most valuable of which is a £OOOO diamond ring which contains one largo diamond weighing 31.17 carats.