PRICELESS JEWELS

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 12017, 20 December 1924, Page 6

PRICELESS JEWELS

STOLEH-AND RETURNED SKILLED NEW YORK BURGLARS HIRED FUR THE JOB. A REMARKABLE STORY, Bv Telearnph.—Prc9s Assn.—Copyright lustralian-and N.Z Cable Association. LONDON, December 18. The mystery of the loss and subsequent return of- the Wernher jewellery deepens. Scotland Yard now admits that the property is in safe keeping, and is not damaged, but maintains strict secrecy in reference to the method of itsieeovery. It is known, however, that the officers in charge of the investigations obtained remarkable information a few .weeks after the theft, of which only a few officers weire made aware, while the others' continued their investigations. NOT A JEWEL REMOVED. The “Evening Standard” declares that the first development loading, to the return of i the..-property Vas the receipt of a, telephones inquiry as to whether the reward.of £SOOO, offered for the return of the jewellery could possibly be increased to £IO,OOO. Scotland Yard was immediately informed of the inquiry; hut continues to dravr a veal over the next steps, only admitting that eventually ’ the stolen treasures were • regained intact. No attempt had been made to remove a single diamond, emerald, or ruby from the priceless figures, which were studed with the stones. ' ■ - ' A COVETOUS' COLLECTOR. ' • The “Central News” gives the fallowing explanation of the theft, and return of .the jewellery, describing the story as the most romantic in . the history of modern crime. . > A wealthy American jewellery collector arrived in England in April, and inspected .very collection in England and Scotland. ’He ’ was allowed to visit the Wernher collection at Bath House at least a dozen times, arid apparently became imbued with covetousness.- , Realising, the hopelessness of ing Lady Ludicrw to sell, the collector" returned to America and hired three skilled New York burglars to come and steal the collection, The three •arrived in London on June, sth, and were allowed to inspect the collection as connoisseurs; *and - thus they gained valu-. able knowledge of the • approaches to Bath House. - : It is now known that when the,.three stole the jewellery on June IltH, they spent a,t least an "hour in the house,, and removed the property - inside a large cushion. , DEATH INTERVENES. The thieves then took the jewels to France in a private yacht, reached New, York from Cherbourg, and placed, the property in a New York safe deposit. Before 'hey could complete* their contract by delivery to the employer, the latter died —on the day they arrived in New York—and owing to the difficulties of disposing of the treasures, i the collection became valueless to the cracksmen. Ultimately, through lawyers in'New York and London, they obtained ' £SOOO reward for the safe return,of the articles. It is believed that the three burglars received £9OOO in advance from the' eccentric collector, and were to have received £50,000 when the collection was delivered.