A BIG HAUL.

Colonist, Volume LV, Issue 13775, 16 July 1913, Page 4 (Supplement)

A BIG HAUL.

jjQp - AUCKLANI) -I ffiWELLER ROBBED,

MAIL BAG TAMPERED WITH.

Auckland, July 14. When the Malic no armed from Sydney yesterday it was found that a, p-rw-kot of .precious stones consigned by mail to 0. .'X Nurse, and Co., wholesale jev,-ollers (Auckland) had been robbed, of its contents. A thorough search of' the mail bag in which tin1 packet was carried was inrrde, but- no !j:u-:> could bofound of tlu.v misring je>vels. and subsequent iuquiri'.s have «;:stahlishcd that they had been <t-u!-'>u in tvan-sit from England. It wan found that tho mail. bas; had Ikxti i-ipjicd ojwn wjl'i a knife,, or a sharp iiistrumont. 'l"ho ro-bbery was apparently committed ;>t sorntv place om , the. voyr.^o whore tho mails had to wait 0,--.'?r ior a time. l)C-c-a.UKf> tho tear on tho. mail b:*^' h::d been \ery carefully f.eva up. The jewellery had bean ]yncke.d in two wo<:d:;:i boxes !>y a Horn;; firm. :'.!,;d whei- the mail bag was opor.cd .\-:'MU!7-dav ii. was discovoied ihr.t !>:>£!i had ber-;i t.-'iupcred. with. The c.:;i;t«;:its of one \vor:> wholly taken, whi I.■- part of what w;;s in the other had Iko:i left.

Tlvo Auckland police arc ni' the opinion that the iutenVuvmio had taken place- before the m.iilft wore shipped n.t Sydney ; probably by F,:r,nv. prison who had knowledge, of the character of the consignment; as, oiihonvif-e, the probability of pit-kill^' .out the correct mail bag would he. a very ivuioto one. Further investigations arc being made. Mr. Nurse, in speaking ti> it reporter, .said, that the two packages tamperedwith had contained very valuable jewellery. The one which contained gems and gold only had boon completely emptied, but tlu.v other, t whidi ha<t also some articles that oou'd not bo'-so easily disposed of. was robbed of tho more- valuable goods. He estimated hitf loss at about £-100.