A DARING BURGLAR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19951, 19 November 1926, Page 11

A DARING BURGLAR.

BAG TAKEN FROM UNDER BED. SUBSTANTIAL SUM SECURED. ' (Special to Daili Times.) CHRISTCHURCH, November 18. While the occupants of the room slept a burglar crept into a bedroom of a house in Sohvyn street, went through the pockets of a coat hanging on the door, and then crept round the bed and took from under it a handbag containing about £l5O. Quietly ho crept out again unlocked the back door, and lot himself out. The victim of the most daring burglary carried out in Christchurch for a long time is Mr Reg. Stillwell, a woll-knovn dance promoter, of 70 Selwyn street, Sproydon, and the coup was brought off between 11.30 o’clock on Monday evening and 8.30 o’clock on Tuesday morning. Mr Stillwell has of necessity had to keep fairly large sums of money overnight in his house as there is no means of banking money taken at dances until the following day. Up till about a month ago ho had a very trustworthy watchdog, but last Monday evening was the first time that there has been a considerable sum of money in the house and no dog. Mr Stillwell arrived home about 11 p.m. and placed the bag containing the takings from his shop in High street and his dance takings under the bed in ‘which he and Mrs Stillwell slept. When he awoke about 8.30 a.m. on Tuesday Mr Stillwell saw his coat lying on the floor. An investigation showed that his wallet, containing about £6, had been taken, and a glanco under the bed showed that the bag had disappeared also. A further investigation showed that the burglar bad gone to the, garage, entered by a side door, and taken two dusters from the car. He then took a small step ladder used for window cleaning purposes, and with its aid was able to reach the fanlight over one of the windows in the side of tho house. This fanlight was open and ho was able to reach through it and unlatch tho window. To reach the bag that was under the bed ho had to make his way across tho bedroom and round the end of tho bed. Tho sum of money that was in tho house was tho biggest that Mr Stillwell has had there, and all tho circumstances played right into the hands of tho daring burglar.