QUEEN OF LONDON’S UNDERWORLD.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 June 1921, Page 11

QUEEN OF LONDON’S UNDERWORLD.

SCOTLAND YARD “FLYING SQUAD’S’? CLEVER COUP. The “Queen” of London’s underworld of thieves and receivers, Ann Young, better known to her' confederates as “Rubina, the Receiver,” has, with considerable difficulty been caught by the police and sentenced to eighteen months* imprisonment. “Rubina” exercised considerable influence over the underworld of London, and thieves regarded her as their leader. Aged- about forty-six, she is still a very attractive woman, who would never be suspected of being associated with the criminal -fraternity. Tall, with a good figure, she is always stylishly dressed. When arrested the other day she was wearing beautiful and expensive furs. When quite a girl she married a general dealer, who has been dead for many years. Her passion for extravagant living and expensive clothes undoubtedly led to her undoing. She began her adventurous career with stealing in 1905 from a large West End store, and she was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment.

Afterter release she turned her attention to white slavery. She rented a rather imposing house in Lambeth, which she furnished elaborately, and procure' attractive girls on whose earnings she lived. Her premises were raided, and she was sentenced to six months’ hard labor. On her release she conducted a disorderly house in North London, which was eventually raided. Again she was sent to prison. “Rubina” is versatile, and is said to know most of the habitual criminals of London, and during the latter part of 1919 she was convicted for receiving musical instruments.

To come to her more recent history, the police have for some time been puzzled as to where the proceeds of a large number of burglaries went to. Detective Inspector Grosse, of the “Flying Squad,” of Scotland Yard, was tn the vicinity of Hamnstead Road recently when his attention was attracted by the number of ex-convicts in the neighborhood. He and his colleagues kept observation on them and it was noticed that they went ito a small secondhand shop. The officers, disguished, watched the premises, and found that “Rubina” had her own sentries from the windows. One of the police went to the shop on some pretext..after .known thieves had been seen to enter the premises with bundles andl#gve Among them werq. three men who were recently convicted at thct&d Bailey, deaerate men who were discovered in possession of a van containing house-breaking instru. ments.

One morning “Rubira’s” premises were raided. She was taken by surprise. A search of the shop disclosed that it was stored with stolen property. Rolls of elotli, large quantities of silk, blouses, dxpsses, etc., the proceeds of warehouse bTeakings, were found. the police were in possession several notorious thieves called at the shop- So cleverly was the arrest of ‘‘Rubina” carried out that they did not know that their leader had been arrested.

“Is Rubina in?” they asked the police officers.

“Rubina” refused to tell the police anything about the property found at the shop, or give any names. There is a mystery as to where this remarkable woman keeps her money. Not a penny was found in the Hampstead shop. But inquiries are afoot.