ATTEMPT TO ROB BANK

Taranaki Daily News, 24 July 1930, Page 18

ATTEMPT TO ROB BANK

ATTACK ON STRONGROOM

USE OF OXY-ACETYLENE FLARES. Two safes were visited in Sydney on the night of July G by cracksmen. The more ambitious attempt was in Summer Hill, where a determined effort was made to cut through the door of the strongroom in the Government Savings Bank. At Merrylands a safe was blown open in a firm’s offiices and £8 was stolen. The police say they consider that the attempt on the bank was made by a gang of expert cracksmen. Only a few shillings had rewarded the men in thenprevious raids, and this night’s attempt on the bank ws probably a desperate effort to replenish their funds. Oxy-acetylene flares were used to cut through the steel of the strongroom, after the cracksmen had smashed off the padlocks of the outer doors. No one lives on the premises, and the thieves had little chance of detection, but were apparently disturbed by a watchman or policeman on his beat, as they left without finishing the work. Bags of flour were used to lessen the detonation at Merrylands after the charge had been inserted in the safe door. The explosion wrecked the safe and the thieves were moderately successful, as they found £8 in the tangled metal work. Before leaving the men gummed a number of unemployment stamps on part of the safe.