GRABBED AND RAN

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 547, 27 December 1928, Page 9

GRABBED AND RAN

DARING JEWEL ROBBERY UNKNOWN “HON. SIDNEY KIDMAN” Developments that had been hinted at during the investigation o£ a daring daylight jewel robbery at Walton Street, Chelsea, took shape before -the Westminster magistrate recently. On an order from the Home Office, two smartly-dressed young men, Doug- 1 las Barrington and John Thompson? 1 who had been staying' at a West End hotel, were brought up and charged with being concerned with George Kitching, aged 31, chauffeur, of Chapel Street, Belgravia, in a motor-car raid at a shop in Walton Street on September 10. Kitching is at present on remand. Rings worth altogether £l5B 10s were stolen during the raid. Barrington and Thompson already stand committed to the Sessions from Marlborough Street on a similar charge. Kitching was said to be tbe hirer and driver of the car in which the other two men were driven off from Walton Street. Mr. E. Knight, prosecuting, told the magistrate that the identification of accused was complete. Against Thompson was a further charge of obtaining £l3 13s by false pretences from Miss Ellaline Richardson, of Lancaster Gate, Londbn, on September 9. It was alleged in connection with this that he posed as the “Hon. Sidney Kidman.” He obtained a cheque from a book said to have been stolen, which was issued to a customer by the Westminster Bank. He filled this in for £2O and handed it over to settle his hotel bill. He received £l3 13s in change, but the cheque was returned dishonoured, the “Hon. Sidney Kidman” being unknown. Regarding the charge of the theft of rings, the jeweller said Barrington called at his shop and announced that he wanted to purchase a halfhoop ring for a lady friend who was very particular. While he was examining a number of rings on two pads, Thompson appeared at the door, carelessly wiping the lens of a monocle. He drawled: “Will you. be long?”, and Barrington muttered an inaudible reply. A closed saloon car was drawn up outside the shop next door. Suddenly Barrington grabbed the two trays of rings, dashed out of the shop, and slammed the door behind him. The jeweller added that he rushed out, but the man had disappeared from view, and, as the x.ar was moving off. he presumed that Barrington had got into it. Replying to Mr. Gush, for Kitching, the witness stated he did not see that man at all. Accused were remanded in custody.