SENSATIONAL BURGLARY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21243, 26 January 1931, Page 8

SENSATIONAL BURGLARY

JEWELLER’S SHOP ENTERED. *2OOO WORTH OF STOCK STOLEN. One of the mosfdaring' aild sensational burglaries perpetrated in, Dunedin for some years took place on Saturday at the premises Of Mr Herbert Wright, who trades as a watchmaker and jeweller, under the style of Dawson and Co., at B 4 George,street. No accurate estimate of the Value of the goods stolen has yet been made, but it is understood that fully £2OOO worth of diamond and other rings was taken. Entry was effected through a door at the back of the premises leading from a right-of-way beside the Moray Place School into the basement. A hole was then cut in, the;floor of the.workroom, two planks being sawn through and an aperture, sufficiently large to allow a man to get through, was made. There was a considerable amount of goods, consisting of watches and miscellaneous jewellery in the work room, but this was not touched, nor was a small amount of money in the till taken. Indeed, the burglars gave evidence of considerable discrimination in their choice of the stock as only the most valuable articles were removed. The burglars concentrated on the glass shelves in the window on which the stock of diamond and other. valuable rings was set put. . There were about 70 rings, and it is estimated that there must have .been .fully. £2OOO- worth in the selection.

Mr Wright informed a Daily' Times reporter yesterday afternoon that he left the shop about 2.30 p.-m. on Saturday. It was his habit, he said, to return to the shop in the evening for the purpose of clearing the window of its most valuable contents and putting them away in the. safe. On this occasion two members of his family'Went to'the Shop earlyin the . evening to make a start on this work, and ohe of them noticed that the diamond rings were ’ missing from the window. On being informed by telephone Mr Wright at once made his way to the shop. t “ The .work must have been done in full view of the passing public,” said Mr Wright; "and it would seem impossible that the burglars were not seen by someone. I cam’only trust that anyone who saw the goods being removed from the window will come forward and, if possible, help to identify the thieves.”. Apart from the rings, the only goods taken were four wristlet. watches, which wore also in the window.