CASH-BOX FOUND.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20276, 10 April 1934, Page 9

CASH-BOX FOUND.

Recovered After Four Years. PAPARUA SAFE-BLOWING. A sequel to a sensational robbery at the Paparua County Council offices at Sockburn, early on the morning of November 11, 1929, when thieves used explosives to force open the door of the strong-room, occurred on Saturday, when the stolen cash-box was found under a hedge on Mr D. O. Rutherford’s property in Hanson’s Road, Riccarton. The box, which was wrapped in an old shirt, was discovered by a man employed to trim a hedge which divides two paddocks, and is well off the road. The robbers got £6O 2s in notes and coin, and cheques estimated to be worth £285 3s Id. Cheques for £276 13s 7d were not touched. Apparently the job was done by expert cracksmen, as explosives,, were used to shatter the lock of the steel door. The thieves cut the telephone wires, and propped doors open to facilitate their escape. The robbery was discovered by the assistant clerk. Miss A. L. Freeman, at 9 o’clock on the Monday morning, when she went to get change for someone who was paying in money. Carefully Planned. The thieves gained entry to the offices through one of the board room windows, which had not been locked and was found open by Miss Freeman. They had evidently planned their operations carefully, as large sums had been paid into the office on the Friday and Saturday preceding the robbery. During the week that the money was stolen the office was open for Only a few hours each day, and there was thus a chance that the robbery would not be discovered quickly. Though a thorough examination was made, no fingerprints were found, indicating that the thieves wore gloves. Following this incident there was a series of safe-blowing cases in the city, and shortly afterwards convictions were entered against a man for all the cases except the Paparua one. This, it was stated, was done bv a different method.