LINER ROBBERY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23221, 15 December 1938, Page 14

LINER ROBBERY

NO CLUES DISCOVERED BAFFLING police task A RACE AGAINST TIME No developments have occurred in tlio intensive police investigation into the robbery of £I6OO in cheques and English banknotes from the safe of the captain of the New Zealand Shipping Company's liner Rangitata, Captain Edward Holland. Detectives have interviewed over 100 persons. They are working at high pressure, as the vessel, is to sail at daybreak to-morrow for England. iVI , Headed by Detective-Sergeant Wilder Detectives Brady, Moore, Hamilton and Cromwell arc rapidly but thoroughly pursuing their quest. Every bank m New Zealand has been warned of possible attempts to negotiate some of the £1:100 worth of English banknotes taken from the safe, and every available avenue through which the money might be passed is being investigated. Au expert locksmith, Mr. D. Hyauiason, examined the safe yeterday morning. He said that in his opinion the safe could have been opened only with a kev made from an impression of one of tiie two keys in the possession of Captain Holland. The safe has many finger-prints on it, but whether they will help the policp is a matter for conjecture. ' . Time may defeat the detectives. I hey now have less than 24 hours in which to complete their inquiries before the Rangitata sails. They have to contend with the possibility that the banknotes were posted in a number of envelopes addressed to several persons in England or elsewhere, by either or both the Aorangi and the Mariposa, which left Auckland on Monday for Sydney and San Erancisco respectively. Another possibility is that the money has been hidden. A hopeful feature is that the substantial money reward offered by the New Zealand Shipping Company may assist the police.