SAFE-BLOWERS ACTIVE

Chronicle (Levin), 7 March 1946, Page 2

SAFE-BLOWERS ACTIVE

UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS ON TWO BANKS WELLINGTON, Marclij G. Burglars and safe-blow.ers have been active for some tiuie in Wellington, fwo banks, the Natioual, in Feather ston Btreet, and the Courtenay Place branch ot' the L'nion Bauk of Australia have engaged their attention. Nearlv £300 was taken by thie-ves wlien they entered the premises of E. W. Mills and Co., Ltd., hardware mer chants, .Jervois Quay. A clean job was made of blowiug the strougroom door. Entry was gained tli rough the premises of Williamson JelTery, Ltd., next door. On the same night the lock on the main door of the Wellington Woolleu Manufacturing Co., Ltd., was removed and the premises entered. There were jemmy niarks 011 tte doors of the board room, but the lock was danmged, so that Ihe door could not be opened Though the strongroom was in an open position in the offi.ce, there were 110 in dications that an effort had been made to force it. Eecently an attempt was made to enter the National Banlv, in Feather ston Btreet. Here the thieves foreed a side door, 011 ly to find that they had gained right-of-way to a room in the basement where the central heating plant was installed.- Impenetrable walls stood lietween them and the j vaults where valuables are kept. Last week Sharlaud and Co., Ltd., j vvholesale druggists and chemists, of | Dixon Btreet, were visited by thieves. A fire escape down a side alley was used and by this nieans aceess was gained to the lirst storey, where a window was broken to get into the warehouse. Once inside, the thieves ereated havoc in the office, .but linding onl\ petty cash. Burglars last week entered the Courtenay Place branch of the Union Bank of Australia. They blew the strongroom door, but it jammed and norhing was taken. Brills had to be used to open the damaged door after the burglary was discovered. A similar fate met an endeavour in the early hours of the morning to blow the safe at Market Gardeners, Ltd.. VVakdield Btreet the door again jamming.