ATTEMPTED ROBBERY.—A STORE BROKEN OPEN.

Colonist, Volume XXXIV, Issue 6067, 23 March 1891, Page 6

ATTEMPTED ROBBERY.— A STORE BROKEN OPEN.

On Saturday night a very daring attempt w&8 made to rob Messrs Solanders and Co's store, adjacent to the Railway wharf. Th* firm named has a large corrugated iron build : ng c?o<e to the roadway leadiDg to the wharf, and this building is divided into two, the portion neatest the Haven road being used as a Bonded warehouse, tbe other part, that nearest tbe wbarf, as a Fiee store. On Saturday night, until past ten o'clock, several persons and Borne cabs were waiting for the arrival of tbe s s. Graf ton, and between then and eleven Constable Pbair passed tbe place more than once, and it seems that he did notioe a man near the door to the Free store, but there being nothing snspioious in his appearance he imagined that this man was merely waiting for the s earner as others were doing. Shortly alter this it was understood the steamar was not ctming in, and very soon- the wharf was prao ically deserted. About eleven o'clcck, however, Mr Eeeble, the local manager of the Union S.S. Company left; his office, and before going home strolled quietly to the wharf, when his attention was atti acted by a slight noise as he was passing Mesera Solanders and Co.'s free Btore, and aa he moved towards the door Eomeone sprang from it and ran round the back of the store.' Mr Eeeble then saw that the door of the Btore was open, and imagining that probably someone was inside he guarded the door till he obtained assistance, and then reported the matter to Constable Fhair. On the store baing entered there was no one found in it, and a "more caref ul examination by some of Mesß>B ScUndera and Co.'a staff showed that nothing had been taken. It is evident that but for Mr Keeble's timely diacoveiy the oonteuts of the etore would now have teen less than they are. The entrance .to this etore ia close to the publia footpath leading to the wharf, and there is a platform

ia fron' of the rfo rs wbioh are si ! i"j» ones. T(.'B<o doom w»re flecurod by a pidlock, wiioli it is S'jrm'S'd bad been brofc«n, and one of the tvo doors had been e'ldien bock about t.v > or thrpe fe>-t. sr> as t'j ent'l' anyone »n e'ter. The padlock has no. bpen f und, but the place was s 'Otirely f ist.Hnpd on Saturday afternoon, as two men can testify.