HIGHWAY ROBBERY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11247, 27 June 1922, Page 4

HIGHWAY ROBBERY

A MELBOURNE SENSATION riJO.MI.NHNT BOOKMAKER SAVAGELY ATTACKED. THIEVES GET AWAY. MELBOURNE, June 12. A robbery of an audacious nature, accompanied by violence, was carried out at- St. Kilda on Saturday evening. At about (ISO p.m. Mr Sain Allen, a prominent bookmaker, 1 drove from the Moo nee Valley racecourse to bis home, l ‘Travancore,” Dickens street, SL Kilda, in a taxi-cab, which was driyon by Steplien Ives, Moore street; St. Kilda. When he reached the gate of his residence, the driver was in the act of alighting from the front seat to open the door ot ftJio car, when <a concerted attack waa made by three men. , One man struck the driver vioiont blows in the face, knocking him to the ground. At tho same time the other two men opened the door of tho taxi and assaulted Mr Allen. He was struck across the face by one of them, while the other tore at his trousers pockets. The contents of one of the plackets, cofasisting ot J 350 in notes, an inter-Stat® cheque for 1580, a gold curb chain, a gold ring set with a diamond of about 4 carats, which is valued at ,£l2O, and another gold ring, set with turquoises, were stolen. While tlie attack was being carried out the taxi, the brakes of which had evidently been released, ran down the hill in Dickens street towards ' Tennyson street. After-, going about 100 yards the robbers jumped out and disappeared in the direction of Brighton road. That the outrage had been well thought out was evident from the knowledge the perpetrators had of the movements of Mr Allen, and the sliceess which attend ed their plans. The men who carried out the job wer© of a burly, desperate type. The attack came with startling suddenness. As far as can be ascertained at prerent there wete no spectators of the crime No sooner had the chauffeur alightod from the car than he was struck a heavy blow under the chin, which temporarily' stunned him. While lie was being guarded by hia assail! nt the latter's coupanidn completed the robbery. Mr Allen, was not ahle to offer much resistance to his attackers, and they got clear away. The task of the police in endeavouring to trace the criminals is fraught with conridcrable difficulty, owing to the rapid manner in which the robbery was carried out, and the lack of a complete description of their appearance.