DARING ROBBERY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 5728, 25 October 1905, Page 5

DARING ROBBERY.

THIEF IN .( PAWNBROKER’S SHOP £250 WORTH OF JEWELLERY STOLEN. At about 7 o’clock last evening a daring robbery was committed in AVillis street. A man entered the shop of Messrs Fruhauf and Co.'s pawnbroking establishment, and etolo about £250 worth of jewellery.

Air Fruhauf explained to a “Times” reporter that while in a room at the hack of his shop, reading a newspaper, ho heard something rattle, and walked into the shop, just in time to see a young man hurriedly leaving. He did not then know of his loss, but, suspecting tho man ho saw at the door was there for no good purpose, rushed after him. Tho man took to his heels, and entered tho Empire Hotel. Air Fruhauf then returned to his shop, and discovered that three brass bars, which extended half-way across his show-window, and from which hung watches and chains, were missing. Two cnees of watches from tho window floor wore also gone. Mr Fruhauf immediately returned to the pursuit, which, of course, was fruitless 'at that time. Ho ' walked through the main passage of tho hotel, which extends to Victoria street, and on Ids way picked up a lady’s gold watch and two tickets, which had been attached to some of the stolon articles, and which the thief dropped in his flight. "All my best things have gone,” remarked Air Fruhauf. He explained that two men followed tho thief through the Empire Hotel into Victoria street, and along that thoroughfare to Harris street. The robber turned into tho latter street, and tho two men state that ho entered the Electrical Syndicate’s yard, where he was lost sight of. It appears that the thief, when lie entered the shop, climbed over fhc counter, and gained access to the window show space by- a small door, which is not provided with a lock. When asked why ho did not keep this door looked, there being such valuable material in tho window. Air Fruhauf said, “Who would have dreamt of anybody coming in and opening that door?” Roughly speaking, ho lost about twenty gold watches and a similar number of gold chains.

Just prior to tho sensational robbery at Grady’s, in Willis street, last Christmas, an unsuccessful attempt was made to open Air Fruhauf’s safe.