JEWEL THIEVES' FEAST.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12772, 25 May 1912, Page 2 (Supplement)

JEWEL THIEVES' FEAST.

CAKE, CREAM, AND CIGARS IN A TEA ROOM.

£10,000 BOOTY.*

Burglars whose elaborate scheme for reaching their booty included boring three wallsi of a total thickness of four feet, succeeded during the week-end m robbing Messrs E'ttlinger, wholesale jewellers, of Regent street, of jewellery estimated at more than £10,000.

The work is believed to be that of a gang of Continental jewel ( . thieves, whose daring and skill areV reflected ' m all their operations. The g burglars Began their work by effecting 'Ta-ii entra-iice to the Cottage Tea Rooms, situated three shops away from j Messrs Ettlinger's; m a passage leading to St. 'Thorilas' -eiitu'eni; -They let themselves m with keys, and proceeded to the' upstairs' office," which is on a level with" Messrs 7 Ettlinger's third floor, and, having' first moved away a large cupboard, they began steadily tunnelling their way to the jewellers'. WALL PIERCED. First a. 12in.. wall was pierced wide enough to allow them to get into the Irish Linen Co's ; from here they proceeded by boring another hole m an 18in. ...wa1l into Messrs Gopdycr's countinghpuse.They then descended from tho third to the second -floor, broke open an iron door on the staircase, and made a hole about three feet square m the remaining wall, which is also lßin.. thick.

; By mischance the burglars pierced a hole m tho, flue,, and fearing that the falling debris might give Avarning of their presence; they stuffed a number of Messrs Goody er's silk cushions, carpets, and- lamp shades into the gap. After gaining access to Messrs Ettlinger's' they ransacked the premises, forcing the safe open, and taking as many gold, articles' away as they could carry. . . ; , -.'*.',' , The actual: value; of . the loss .is unknown until the . stock has been overhauled and counted, but it is believed to 'be well over £10,000.

' AmOng articles left behind ,by the gang were a muffler .,-, and several dynamos,' .the -latter 'being, apparently, part of a 'plant- of.- automatic and ..electric drillers which they are believed to,. have used. The, police are -being guided, m their * inquiries by these' discoveries. ELABORATE TOILET. .»■<; ! The • coVfditiori of "the Cottage Tea ;Rboms : -s^ertis -to" ' indicato "the remaining i jnovenieijis of. the' men, • Who" apparently went back to ytheir starting point.; washed themselves ,"-' arid wiped their hands and faces 'on the waitresses' aprons, brushed their boots with the black-lead brushes, and tidied themselves generally. .;' r " : • ■ ' X

Then they riiade themselves comfortable, having first taken a small amount of money' from the cash box. Cake, peaches, and cream were consumed, and cigars and cigarettes smoked while the men lay about on rugs and cushions like Oriental" potentates. It is probable that they indulged m a short nap after their r exertions.

The mementoes of the visit included cigiar stumps, cigarette ends, and cakes which looked, -as one of the waitresses put it, "as though the rats had been at them." The men also left behind a rope- ladder, thoush m what? manner it assisted them m their passage through the four shops is not clear ; while two liandbags were apparently forcrotten. . . • . .

Underneath the Cottage Tea Rooms is another jeweller's shop, where two attempts have been made to break m by burglars. On this occasion it was igridred. None of the other shops were robbed, though a number of cardboard boxes were taken from Messrs Goodyer's, possibly for "packing up the bootV. • ;,-.... ,;••.'*.