THIEF’S HAUL

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21211, 5 December 1938, Page 8

THIEF’S HAUL

JEWELS WORTH £14,000 RAID ON COUNTRY HOME Jewellery valued at approximately £14,000 was stolen from The Haven, the large country residence at Sandgate, Kent, of Mrs Maud Knott, a widow, whose London home is at Berkeley Square. Mrs Knott arrived at Sandgate on a Saturday on her way from Landon to Paris, and intended to cross the Channel next day, taking her jewellery with her. While packing for the journey, however. Mrs Knott discovered that her jewel case containing a number of articles had been stolen from her bedroom. Diamond Solitaire The missing property includes a solitaire diamond ring, three diamond bracelets, and a brooch set with diamonds. Mrs Knott left for Paris on the Monday, leaving police in possession of the house. The jewel case was last seen on the Saturday evening, when it was taken from the wardrobe and placed on the bed while Mrs 'Knott selected a pair of diamond earrings to wear that evening. Both Mrs Knott And the maid are positive that the jewel case was replaced in the wardrobe. Mrs Knott was away from The Haven between 6.30 and 8 o'clock on the Saturady evening, leaving the maid alone in the house, but during that time the maid heard nothing untoward, and when she went to prepare Mrs Knott's bed she saw nothing disturbed. £5OOO Ring Even when the loss was discovered nothing in the room was disarranged, and there was no indication as to how a thief or thieves had gained entry. The Haven overlooks the sea and one theory is that someone climbed over the wall from the beach, walked through the garden, climbed on to the balcony outside Mrs Knott’s bedroom and entered the room through the French window’s. Messrs Summers, Henderson and Co., the assessors, are offering a reward of £lOOO for Information which will lead to the recovery of the jewels, the most valuable of which is a £5OOO diamond ring which contains one large diamond weighing 31.17 carats.