WORLD'S BIGGEST THEFT

Chronicle (Levin), 20 June 1946, Page 5

WORLD'S BIGGEST THEFT

GOLD, JEWELS AND MONEY Received Wednesdav, 7 p.m. LONDON, June IS. One 'of tlie world \s biggest thel'ts — gold, jewels and money worfh £7,000,001! — is disclosed by the arrests of a British officer, a sergeant, a Eurasian girl and several Dutchmen and Chinese, in connection with ti early £1,000,000 of tlie hoard, says the ])ail.v Mail's Batavia correspondent. The Japanese had stored the whole'bf the treasure in a Batavia pawnshop. It was stolen after the capituhition by a Japanese Captain named Nakanmra who carried it avvay in 10 to 15 suiteases and baskets and buried £1,000,000 worth in the garden of a Chinese house and handed tlic rest tc* a Japanese Colonel who was later arrested. An AUied searcli failcd to reveal the hiding place until Nakamura's girl friend, Oarla Wolff, a Eurasian, talked too much, telling friends she was "rieher than the Queen. " Two British Field Security personnel, Ca])tain IMorton and Sergeant Dawson, with a Dutchman masquerading as a Netherlands intelligence otlicer, alleg--edly indnced the girl to disclose the cache. They dug up and divided tlie treasure. Carla complained to the Netherlands East Tndies authorities that accused used third degree on her. Merton was arrested in Batavia but Dawson was bronght from England after his repatriation there. A Dutchn an was arrested in TTolland.