ROBBERY OF WATCHES & JEWELLERY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 7488, 28 May 1885, Page 2

ROBBERY OF WATCHES & JEWELLERY.

GOODS TO THE VALUE OF £BOO STOLEN. Wellington was rather startled yesterday by the announcement (bat a most extensive robbery of watches and jewellery had taken place on the premises of Mr G. L, Jsnnees, watchmaker and jeweller, Wiilis-atreet. Mr Jenness has been so loag in business in this city, aod so generally respeoted, that the feeling of astonishment was mingled with that of sympathy, 4 No robbery, on anything bke the same scale, had ever before taken place in Wellington. The list of the goods taken, the value of which Mr Jenness estimates at £796 4s fid, is as follows:—26 gold watches, 40 silver watches, 20 solid gold aiberts, 15 English albects, 20 ladies' gold alberta, 40 to 45 gold necklets, 24 silver necklets, 12 ladies’ silver albert), 6 dozen silver rings, 12 gold brooches, 4 pairs diamond earrings, 24 gold brooches and earrings, including 5 diam md seta, valued from £3 to £35, .12 gold and diamond acarfpins. Oa Saturday night Mr Jenness bad put away the bulk of the goods in the safe, where they remained until Tiiesday morning. Feeling rather tired that night, Mr Jenness allowed the goods to remain where he placed them in the morning, and retired to rest about the Usual hour. So far as he is able to recollect, he dues not remember having lately seen any persons, except one) of a auspicious-looking character in his shop. The man whom he noticed stood at the off counter, and appeared to take a cursory survey of the premises. The doors were locked, the keys beiug left in the inside. The burglars, finding that to be the case, cut away one of the pauels near the lock, and turned the key. They effected an entrance by the back door, and passed through the workshop into tbe front portion of the premises. Though Mr Jenness and family always sleep on the premises, they did not bear a‘Sound of any kind, but it is evident the; burglars were disturbed by some noise or alarm, for they would not ip all probability have left so soon had not something or another occurred. Mr Jenness thinks that a clock, which sounds a loud bugle alarm every hour, must have been the cause of their leaving as soon as they did. Constable Bree, who was on the Wiilis-atreet beat on Tuesday night, states that he saw no suspicious-looking persons about. It is quite possible, seeing how close the - premises are to the harbor, that the burglars might have got hold of a boat, and that (hey arrive 1 on (he scene by that means, and decamped in (he same way. There is no clue whatever to the robbery so far, but the detectives and police force are on the alert, and no effort will be spared to capture the gang. It is quite evident that they are not amateur robbers; the systematic way in which they did their work proves that they are “ professionals.” The lantern which (hey used and left behind (hem in the shop is a very common article, such as* any market. gatdener might bring into 1 town. The glass was covered over with sheets of zinc, which could be easily male to slide up or down as required and one side of the glass was covered over with thin pasteboard. The tools which they used were all carefully taken away. Mr Jenness finds some little consolation In the faot that the robbery might have been a good deal worse, as would Inevitably have been the case bad there not been an interruption of ; some kind. He hopes, whether his goods are recovered or not, that the gang will be captured and brought to justice, • :