ATTEMPTED BURGLARY

Waikato Times, Volume 119, Issue 19894, 25 May 1936, Page 4

ATTEMPTED BU RGLARY

POST OFFICE ENTERED. INCIDENT AT MATANGI. SAFE RESISTS ALL EFFORTS. Despite considerable prepare: tion burglars made an unsuccessful attempt to blow open the safe at the Meungl Poet OMce ‘ during the week-end. i The safe is a particularly strong ‘one like in all post offices and although damaging the lock with explosives. the intruders did not gain anything for their trouble. The post omce is a two-roomed wooden building on the main street of Maiangi, entrance being gained through the forcing of the back door. When the post-mistress, Miss G. Hicks, left the premises at 5.30 on Saturday evening she looked the few valuables in the safe and fastened all the doors as usual. Arriving there at 8 o'clock this morning she found that the back door was open and the safe removed from the corner to the middle of the room and covered with a large tarpaulin. A wheelbarrow was also in the back room where the safe was. careful Preparations. The thieves apparently knew they had a hard job to tackle and they went to considerable trouble. Besides the large tarpauiin. which was taken from the railway yard about 200 yards away. halt a dozen large manure sacks were also lying at the back door. The barrow was taken from a nearby shop which is under repair. Entrance was forced by a 2ft. Sin iron bar which was left lying at the back door. The barrow had been taken inside apparently with the idea of removing the safe into the yard before blowing it. but it was too heavy and the attempt was made in the post cities. The small covering in front of the key hole of the safe was torn oi! and it is thought that some explosion havi taken place as the lock 0! the safe is badly damaged and cannot be opened. A length of {use was in the key hole when the safe wzs found. i The Hamilton police were notified immediately and Detective C. P. Bolton is making investigations. It is understood that little money was in the safe. Although there are several houses in the vicinity or the post ofllce the residents were not aware that the attempt had been made until this morning.