LONDON JEWEL THEFTS

Chronicle (Levin), 31 October 1946, Page 10

LONDON JEWEL THEFTS

American Gangs Snspected SCOTLAND YARD WORRIED london, oct. 30. The manpower resources of Scotiand Yard and the London -Uetropolitan Police, already tested by a series of inurders and crimes of violence, have been stretched to the utmost by the present series of jewel aml fur robberies which netted the thieves more tlian £20,000 wortli of gems in the past 10 days and nearly £500,0(10 wortli of jewels and valuulde furs and carpets since tlie begiiining of the year. Five cleverly orgauised. gangs, one working from Cenlral London aiul the others t'roni suburban towns near the city, are believed by Scotland Yard to be responsibJe for the majority of the crimes. Yesterday alone six burglaries iu various parts of London. and the ilome Oounties liave brought. the thieves' liaul to wortli more tlian £10,000. The thieves liave t'hree main objecti\es — jewels,- furs and carpets. JSince Ihe begimiing of the year thore havc been 57 jewel and fur robberies in tlie London district, 22 of tliem iu Mayfair and the West End. The value of the jewels stolen is estimated at £270,000 and the value of Ihe furs and carpets at more tlian £200,000. The detoctive force has already discovered that none of the lingerprints let't by tlie thieves tally with those of criiniiials registered in Scotland Yard's liogues G allery. Tlie clues suggest that some of tlie thieves are Aiiiericans and an Aiuerican corps of military police lias been called in to assist in checking Aiuerican deserters who are still at large in Britain. Tliere are Itclieved to be more tinui 200 of these. A nuiuber of tlie nien liave criininal records in tlie United States. Clues suggest iug that at ieast some ot the crimes are tlie work of American gangsters liave been traced from tlie reported appearance of an American or Canadian stalf car in the vicinity of Fdnain Lodge, tlie lioine of the Farl of Dudlev, froni whicli the thieves stole £20,000 wortli of jewels belonging to the Duchess of Windsor a fortniglit ago. Americans Among Victims. Several recent victims of the gangs havc been Americans or people with American connections — the Duchess oi Windsor lierself, the Marchioness of liartiugton, who is a daughter of Mr. .losepli Kennedy, the former Cnited States Ambassador to Britain, Mr. ,J. llarvey, tlie American company director, and Mrs. \'an Damm, wife of the ouner of the Wiudiui 11 Theatre. The jewels lost by Mrs. \'an Damm are valued at £12, ()(»), and those lost by the Marchioness of llartington al £l(),()0b, and AI r. Ilarvey's at £5000. In a iiuinber of cases the houses h;ivt iieen empty for short periods aml tliere is evidence tliat tliey liave been i-arefully watclied by the thieves. In Edmini Lodge, the thieves weut st raiglit to the liiding places of the jewels. Prior to several of the robberies. American vou-es niadc telephone calls on wliat now appear to be trumped up exruses. Scotiaml Yard liien lielicve that, in addition to organised gangs, sevaral i-lcver iudividual cat burglars are at work in the hope that their operations will be ronfused with those of the gangs. Oue of tliem is kuowii to the police by the faniiliar Jiliu deseription of " Thin Man" owing to his ability ih squeezing through smali windows and cliinbing jire escapes. This liiau recenlly entered a Chelsea resideiice through a window 10 im-lies by 12 and stole £sooo wortli of fur eoats and other valuables. French Cooperation Asked Scotland Yard has also asked the French police to cooperate, as it is believed that sonie of tlie jewels niav liave been taken to France. l.ast week. at the request of the British authorilies, the French police conducted a city-wide cheek ot known criminals in Paris and al I French ports a imI airlields are being watclied.

Ko far the police liave not succeedeO in traeing- an,y of tjie njajor e.riininaK but oiie gangoDsix nien convicted'ol robbery, with violence and burglarv re ceived sentences totallifig 30 year.when tliey appeared this week at ihe Old Bailey. Two of the nien, botli 10 year-old Bnrstal bovs, adniitted holding up a Kensington jeweller with a revolver and others adniitted liriug shols at a police car. The .Tudge in iinposing Ihe sentences remarked that "the fashion of aping gangsters" appeared to be spreading in this country and said the "authorities are de.teriiuned to stanip out this contagion". The only encouragement the juilice have so far received has been the news that the reported disappearance oi' £300 wortli of jewels from St. .Tames's Palaee was a fnlse alarni. Ladv Legh. wife of Sir Piers Legh, JNIaster of the King's Household, who reported the loss, has now discovered that she place l the jewels in another ease and forgot about tliem. This unnecessary seareh cost Scotland Yard 260 "police marihours".