ATTACK ON BANK SAFE

Taranaki Daily News, 1 December 1932, Page 9

ATTACK ON BANK SAFE

THIEVES WORK IN VAIN. HOLE CUT THROUGH WALL. . Cutting their way with a hack saw through the side wall, thieves at a recent week-end made a daring attempt on a safe in the Edward Street branch of the National Bank of Australasia, in Brisbane. Operating 'a • hand drill preparatory to using a safe-cutting the intruders succeeded only in mutilating one side" of the safe, and after many hours’ work’ ’were forced to abandon the attempt. The safe, in addition to the bank’s private papers, con- • tained cash amounting to- £700.: Entrance to the bank premises was effected in an ingenous manner. The thieves first forced their tvay into an unoccupied shop situated- two doors from the bank. Climbing the stairway they reached the upper floor, and from there prised their way through several disused doorways above the shop of F. Coomber and Sons, tobacconists, to reach the dividing wall of the bank, which was constructed of wood. With the use of hack saws the thieves cut away a jagged section of panelling near* the roof of the bank. Clambering through, • they lowered themselves, possibly with the aid of < a rope, on to the floor of the • supper section of the . bank. The safe is in the managers’ office, which is situated in the rear portion of the ground floor.- - The intruders endeavoured to drag the safe clear of the wall, to enable them to attack a rear section. The safe apparently proved too heavy. After getting it clear a few inches, they commenced to operate with a steel drill qn the side. When ■ the branch manager. opened the safe he found the eontonto intact Y:! 1