BURGLARY IN CITY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23471, 7 October 1939, Page 10

BURGLARY IN CITY

GOODS WORTH £4O TAKEN QUEEN STREET FIRM'S LOSS VAIN EFFORT TO OPEN SAFE \bout £4O worth of goods was stolen ■on Thursday night by thieves who broke into the sot'tgoods warehouse ot Oliver Brett and Company, St. James Buildiifgs, Queen Street, City. Six of the latest style women's elastic bathing costumes, a number of rugs, and clothing were among the stolen property. A number of keys found had been' used in attempts to open a safe which held some money, but the proper key, hidden in an open drawer, was not found. When a woman who cleans the premises went to the first floor of the buildings at six o'clock yesterday morning, she saw the swing doors of Brett's wide open and the padlock missing. Looking inside, she saw clothing in confused heaps on the counters, as though someone had made a hurried, though purposeful, selection. She promptly rang the central police station.

There are two sales used by the firm. One, in which books are kept, was closed, but not locked. A small locked drawer inside was forced, but the thieves found no money. The second safe, located in another part of the warehouse and used for the security of small sums of money, was locked, but round it were scattered a variety of keys used in vain attempts to unlock the safe door. The back door of ground floor premises occupied by other tenants had been used to provide a way of escape to Lome Street.