BURGLAR'S EXPLOIT

Southland Times, Issue 19125, 18 December 1923, Page 6

BURGLAR'S EXPLOIT

CHRISTCHURCH SENSATION. A TERRIFIC EXPLOSION. (Per United Press Association.) | . CHRISTCHURCH, December 17. i Shortly before 9 o’clock on Saturday j night the premises of Owons, Ltd., tailors, of Colombo Street, were burglariously entered and the safe damaged with an overcharge of gelignite. The explosion was heard a considerable distance away, and a large crowd collected outside the shop. The attempt at burglary failed, nothing being taken from the premises. The outrage apparently was committed by one man. He was most daring in his methods, and the theft of moneys collected at the Pilgrims’ Fete in the Botanic Gardens on Saturday, which the burglar probi ably thought were lodged in Owen’s safe, i were probably contemplated. Considerable | cunning as well as daring was. shown by the ■ burglar. Apparently he watched Owen’s i movements closely, and timed his entry when he knew Owen was unlikely to return and also when police patrols were changing over. Entry was effected through the window of Owen’s private office which overlocks a yard at the rear of the premises. The burI glar obtained a couple of small packing j cases from the back of grocery premises to get over the fence from a right-of-way into Owen’s yard. The back window was opened by breaking the glass just above the catch. The safe was kept underneath Owen’s desk. This was knocked ever by the burglar and the safe dragged out and placed on the floor with the door upwards. A strong charge of gelignite—considerably more than was necessary—was then placed in the keyhole of the safe, and the fuse set. After Fghting the fuse the burglar seems to have left the shop by the front door, which was afterwards found tc be unfastened, and to have gone across the road to await developments. The explosion, however, made such a terrific noise that he decided not to 1 return to the shop, and made his escape unnoticed. Had the burglar been in Owen’s office when the explosion occurred he wculd either have been killed or injured. The effect of the explosion was to force the inside lining of the door into the safe, thus making it secure. The money in the safe was intact. Half a stick of gelignite was found on thedloor near the safe. The occupants of residential flats over the shop had a terrifying experience.