SYDNEY BURGLARS.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14889, 31 January 1914, Page 5

SYDNEY BURGLARS.

A SCIENTIFIC ATTACK PLANNED. . A gang of thieves, evidently, of a superior order, broko into* tho drapery establishment of Winns, Ltd., of • Oxford street, Darlinghurst, between closing time on Friday night and 8 o'clock Saturday morning (says the Sydney "Sun")- They were apparently prepared to drill open the strong-room, which contained hundreds- of pounds, with a drill which would require electricity to drive it. To obtain the current the thieves cut three electric wires, hut as the vault was untouched, it is presumed that the safe-breakers were disturbed. It is about seven years since an attempt was made to open a safe in Sydney by means of electrical appliances. Near the end of 1906 a gang of American, expert thieves tapped tho wires supplying the Tattersall's Hotel, in Pitt street, and tried to burn the strong-room door of a bank then at the corner of Park and Pitt streets. They failed, and at the time were reported to havo got away again to tho United States, from where it was learned later that they wero escapees from the San Quentin Prison in San Francisco during tho earthquake which occurred in tho same year. The thieves at Winns never got so far as to use a drilling machino on the I strong-room, and the belief is that they were disturbed. However, they left with about £6, which they obtained from two desks that are on the first floor, and at which- tho cash-takers work during -the day. A JUMP FOR THE WIRES. Whilo determined to escape from the man ho robbed at a lodging-house at _00 George street, North City, early on tho same Friday morning, a thief exhibited his daring in two ways—first by clambering over, uneven roofs, and second by making a leap for liberty.to somo wires .in Underwood street, which is at the back of tho building where the robbery took place. The thief was just able to work himself along hand-over-hand a few> feet and then grasp the pole,' down which he slid. He escaped, but took great chances in doing so. Had he touched one of the live wires in "the system ho would havo been killed instantly. The victim of the robbery was John Hunt, who, while asleep, was awakened _y someone moving about his room. He saw a man jump over a partition, bound through a window, and start to stumble across the uneven roofs below and at the eide. Tho proprietor was aroused, and with tho victim called loudly for help. The thief at last made his jump, and escaped as described. AN INGENIOUS THIEF. Another ingenious thief was at work on the same Frfday nigho or early next morning, and gave evidence of his cleverness by either opening a safe at the printing establishment of McCarron, Stewart and Co., of Goulburn street, with a skeleton key, or by using a piece of narrow steel which he inserted in the keyhole, and by tapping it broke the inside works. When the robber got tho safe open he took all the coin, notes and silver, amounting to about £15, but left behind cheques valued altogether at £200, and about £10 worth of stamps. He broke open a desk on tho opposite side of the shop to the safe and stole, several shillings. On-the second floor the drawers of the desk of Mr Cambridge, the editor of the "Australian Year Book." published by the firm, were forced, but nothing was "taken.