BURGLARS AT WORK.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16939, 13 January 1923, Page 12

BURGLARS AT WORK.

TWO SHOPS ENTERED. DOORS BURST OPEN WITH JEMMY. Some time late last night or early this morning the shops of Air C. A. Clark, chemist, and Mr D. Herriott, grocer, at the corner of Bealey Avenue and Bealey Street, were broken into and a few pounds worth of goods stolen. The burglars had to be content with goods because there was no money in the till in either shop. Both Mr Clark and Air Herriott make a practice of taking the money in the till home each evening. Air Clark is the heavier loser, film-, other photographic goods, tooth brushes, tooth paste and so forth, to the value of about £5 being removed from his shop. Only a few packets :>r cigarettes were taken from Air Herriott’s shop. The two shops form part of the saiu*? building, and tTiere is a dooT communicating between them. An entrance was effected by the front door of Air Clark’s shop on Bealey Avenue. The burglars evidently used a jemmy on the door, for the lock was burst right off, and the jamb of the door was smashed. , It would appear as if the visit oi the burglars was a very hurried one or else they were disturbed. No attempt was made to breair into show cases, and a desk in Air Clark’s office was not interfered with, although the burglars were evidently equipped icii tools for smashing desks open. The only money in Mr Clark’s shop were two small sums in collecting boxes, one for St Saviour’s Orphanage and one for the Church of England Hospital Fund. The second box was a small one, and could quite easily have been slipped into a pocket, but '.ha burglars did not interfere with either box although they were lying on the counter. An entrance to Mr Herriott’s shop was gained by bursting open the doo** between the two shops in the same manner as the outside door wsfs Lucst open. The most annoying part of the burglary as far as Mr Herriott is concerned is the fact that the intruders tipped out the contents of a sugar hag which they apparently wanted for the purpose of carrying away the booty. There were plenty of empty sacks about the shop. During the past few months several chemists’ shops have been broken into, and in each case the burglars have shown a preference for photographic goods. It is considered that it was the same gang that visited Mr Clark’s shop. The police consider that the goods are being stolen for the purpose of hawking them round the country.