A CLEVER DIAMOND ROBBERY.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1242, 9 January 1883, Page 2

A CLEVER DIAMOND ROBBERY.

A diamond robbery, so adroitly conceived and audaciously carried out that it is impossible to avoid admiring the misplaced talents of the thief, was perpetrated upon one of tho largest j wholesale jewellers in London. The | robber, who got himself up to look like the trusted shopman of a metropolitan tradesman, commenced operations by driving up in a hansom to the private door of Messrs Hancock’s, the famous goldsmiths, rtc, in Bondstreet. Introducing himself to the head of the firm as an assistant of Mr Geo. Attenborough (a well known jeweller in the Strand), he reminded Mr Hancock that his principal (At tenborough) was opening a new shop opposite the theatres, and added that they required some handsome diamond ornaments for the windows. Mr Attenborough does not usually deal with Mr Hancock, and the latter, therefore, told the thief he thought his principal . must be making some mistake, pro- j bably he meant to have told him to go ! to the Messrs Welby's. Mr Thief ! readily seized the cue, and after apo | logising for the misapprehension, departed tor Messrs Welby’s, armed with I one of Hancock’s business cards, j Messrs Welby received my gentleman j courteously, and, like Mr Hancock, I felt uneasily conscious something was wrong. “ You are not one of Atten- [ borough’s assistants,' quoth Mr Welby. “ Great heavens,” retorted the injured thief, “ I have served George twelve years.” “ Very well, then,” said Welby. “ I’ll give you the ornaments, only one of my assistants must accompany you home.” This was a critical moment for the robber, but he never blenched, merely saying, “ Of course.” The ornaments (about £500) were then selected and placed in a black bag, Welby’s assistant taking charge of them, and driving off

with Mr Thief, tn due course, the haPsdin reached Attenborough’s ; the thief got out; saying, “You wait in tho cab with the jewels, whilst I see if the boas is in." He entered the shop, and bye-and-bye came hustling oiit—minus his hat, observing, “ The Customers are there flow, give ,m 6 the bag.” The assistant, handed over the bag, find the again entered the shop. Welby’s as- 1 sistant then looked io at the door and seeing Mr Thief talking to Attenborough without his hat and behind the counter, made surd all was Hght, and went home to tell his so. Meanwhile an amusing scen^transpired within. Mr Attenborough thus describes it. He says: “At 1 o'clock on Thursday a respectably dressed stranger drove up in a hansom, and entered my shop, saying : “ I expect Mr Black of Edinburgh here fit one. Has he been yet ?” I Replied “ No.” Moreover I didn't know him (the Speaker), and had never heard of Black. “ Pooh," quoth the stranger; ‘ Black will be here directly. Meaiwhile I’ll run out and fetch my bag.’ He did so, leaving his hat oh the counter, and soon returned with ft small bag. We then entered into ft conversation, during which the stranger, who had laid his hat on a chair, made an excuse to get behind the counter; presently, he said his friend could not be coming, and, tak-"' ing up the, black bag, went out.” From that time to this Mr Thief has not been seen or heard of, and I think it will be admittod he was wonderfully audacious. Had Welby's assistant by any chance entered the shop, nothing could have saved him ; in fact, from the moment the wholesale jeweller proposed sending someone back with nim, his liberty certainly hung ou a! thread, The robbery was not found out for three days, when Attenborough sending a boba fide assistant to Welby’s, accidentally learnt the history of the previous Thursday's doings.—Loncorrespondent Cromwsll “ Argus.”