DARING LONDON ROBBERY

Chronicle (Levin), 14 September 1946, Page 5

DARING LONDON ROBBERY

Press Assn.

MAN STEALS BRIEF CASE FROM CHANCELLOR OF EXCHEQUER'S RESIDENCE

By Telegraph

- Copvrigh *

Rebeived Saturday, 10.5 a.m. LONDON, September 13. Details of a robbery at No. 11 Downing Street, the residence of Ihe Chancellor of fho Exehequer, Mr. Ilugh Dalton, becanie knuwn 1oday. A burglar last month eluded the guard at tlie bac.k entrance, bolh in entering and leaving, and made off with a brief case in v. ! i i-h wero official documents. Tlie police tlie same evening arresled a nian, wlio was later charged and sent.enc.ed.

Officials kept the affair secret until the Press Association today toki the story. The guard round the official residence has since been strengthened, and burglar alarms have been set in the grounds of No. 11. The Evening Standard' says the diseovery of the man who burgled tlie Chancellor's residence was accidental. The police, on the night of the burglary, stopped a man walking along Kensington Road, across the river from Westminster. They recognised him as wanted, but did not know from where the brief case had been stolen until the suspect was taken to the police station.

Later, in the court, the man was charged with other offences and sentenced to six months' imprisonment. The only reference to the burglary was when the man agreed that the Magistrate take into consideration the theft of the brief case, the property of a Mr. Dalton. Security measures since the burglary include flood-lighting of the grounds at the rear of Nos. 10 and 11 Downing Street. One of Mr. Dalton's secretaries denied that any case of documents was stolen by the burglar. He said the burglar took a number of Mr. Dalton's personal ornament and trinkets, all of which had been recovered.