SAFE BLOWERS BUSY IN CHRISTCHURCH

Chronicle (Levin), 12 August 1947, Page 7

SAFE BLOWERS BUSY IN CHRISTCHURCH

CHRISTCHURCH,- Augsut 11. Safe breakers who operated on the premises of J. M. Mitchell, Ltd.. furniture warehousemen, Colombo Street, some time during the weekend, took about £30. . An explosive charge was used to open the door of the office safe. Fortunately a f'airly substantial sum of money had been removed from the safe by the Inanager of the firm, Mr. L. J. Mitchell, on Friday night. The money that was left was locked in the petty casli box. The thieves did not remove a quantity of change from a drawe'r and they did not find £8 which had been rolled tightlv in an envelope. From the yard at the back of the building which is on the north-western side of the intersection of Cplombo and Bath Streets, the thieves climbed to tlie roof of the premises and slid back one of the glass panels of a fairly large fanlight. They dropped about -0 foet on to a double bed which was on display in an upstairs furniture showrooni and made tlieir way to the office which is situated on the ground floor, The plate over the keyhole in the centre of the safe door was removed and a charge placed inside the safe through ' the opening. A wire was led from the handle of the safe door to a'litting ou the other side of the roorn to ensure that tlie door would not jamb, and to deaden the sound of the explosion mat tresses and couch squabs. were brought from the showrooni and staeked around the safe. A bird had been left in a cage in the office on Friday night anu those responsible for the crime removed it into the main showroom out of range of the blast. ' With a roar that could be heard neafiy a mile away, safeblowers ietonated a charge plugged in tlie dooi of a strongroom at Millers, Ltd., Tuam Street on Saturday morning. The attempt was one of the boldest yet made in Christchurch. Dayiign: was fast approaehing and people wer>.beginning to appear oil tlie streets whtn the explosion canie. The intruders must have'Avorked fas: after the charge was blown. Fight minutes later ,-i policeman was on the scene. He had heard the explosion two streets away while on his beat. While poJicemen and detectives sur roundetl the building others searcheu for the safeblowers, but nnsuccessfully. A store at Springston in the Lincoln district was entered 011 Friday night and about £150 worth of .22 cartridges, clothing, women 's stockings and eggwas stolen. The thieves entered by a window in the front of the shop and evidently used a ear to take away the goods. The shop belongs to Mr. H. i\l. Dartnall, who lives in a honseffiess than ^0 yards from the shop. Most oi the goods have since been recovered in an empty section in Christchurch.