TRAPPED BY FIRE.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20541, 16 February 1935, Page 28 (Supplement)

TRAPPED BY FIRE.

JEWEL GANG IN LONDON. Thieves, it was revealed recently, trapped by a rapidly-spreading fire while they were packing thousands of pounds’ worth of jewellery into suitcases in a London shop, cut a hole in a main water pipe in the basement and escaped through a first floor window with gems worth £3OOO. Fighting hard to put out the flames, and thinking the task impossible, dashing upstairs to get away from the building, they left £SOOO worth behind in the suitcases. This remarkable burglary took place at the premises of Messrs. A. Shoot and Company in High Street, Whitechapel. £3OO Reward. Next morning the place was found full of smoke and the basement flooded to a depth of ten inches. The raiders, by opening the water pipe, had put out the fire. A reward of £3OO was offered for information leading to the conviction of the thieves and the recovery of the property intact or pro rata. One of the gang must have concealed himself in the basement of the premises before they were locked up. It is believed that he dropped a lighted cigarette which ignited material near some large packing cases and so started the fire.