ASSAULT AND ROBBERY

Taranaki Daily News, 3 August 1932, Page 5

ASSAULT AND ROBBERY

WOMAN ATTACHED IN STREETS. BAG CONTAINING £3O TAKEN. Two men attacked Miss E. Harbridge, manageress for Messrs E. Adams and Company, pastrycooks, on Friday- evening in Edward Avenue,. Christchurch, held her by . the throat to prevent her' from screaming and robbed her of about £3O which was in-hier handbag.’, ' Apparently, the fact that .Miss Harbridge frequently'carried home ‘with her the takings from the shop was known ; to her assailants,. and it seems certain that she was shadowed from the shop to -within a few paces of her home. Miss Harbridge, who was carrying, the money in - a email 'bag, .followed her

usual custom of travelling home by tramcar. She left the shop about 10 o’clock and alighted from the tram at Edward Avenue. Only one other person, left the tram at this stop, a man who walked behind her at a short distance and who did not appear to be in any hurry to pass her. • Migs Harbridge advanced toward Fitzgerald Street corner, 'which is close to her home, but, before reaching the corner, she noticed a. motor-car standing by the kerb. The car lights were out, and Miss Harbridge’s attention was attracted to it by the fact that the engine vyas running. At that moment a man jumped from the shadow of a gar■a n e and caught her by the throat. Hei mouth'- was held and she could not .scream. She struggled to free herself, but - was then attacked by another man, who grabbed her bag with the money. 'The men then got into the waiting car, which was quickly driven out of sight. The lights were hot switched on, . ,