SCIENTIFIC THIEVES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1004, 20 December 1910, Page 5

SCIENTIFIC THIEVES.

A MACKEREL. TO CATCH A SPRAT., Ths ■. burglary af-'SElfmingham took 'place in August. last, and . was carried ont on. most elaboratevlines. Tho[ thieves, however, met. wi.th: little success. .. ,

.On' Thursday,'. August 18, two rden; .apforeigners, rented .an i empty, shop adjoining the, works of Messrs. Wright and Hotlglcins, jewellers. . Tliey 'represented- themselves, to' "W diamond .merchants: • : , i. ■ - . On Friday, and' Saturday heavy packages arrived at the shop, but, as we sequel ( showcd,:7the. ; e..-v,"ere. nothing, .more 'or less than the. outfit of expert burglar's. On Saturday night, v when'Messrs, Wright and Hodgkms' works. were closed, ' the 'burglars cut through a brick nnd cement' wall eighteen inches' thick,-making' Can aperture-a-ynrd square. This gave them access to the strong-room of: the jewellers' establishment, wliero they forced several ; safes, but found .little or nothing in' them! Then came an attack upon a large safe,' which contained jewellery worth several thousands _of pounds. . ' 'The - thieves ' uSc'd ' au oxy-hydragen blow-pipe of. the..latest, type. . .They had with thein'two large cylinders'of oxygen ojd 'some., lengths .'of india-rubber tubing, uith acetylene "lights and the blow-pipe they burnt-a hole'.tliroufeh'.twovinchts of.steel. Behind this thick steel covering lias a packing: of "asbestos,.'.and' then ailother halfjinchrs(tf Jftjid. J". Apparently the asbestos puzzled them, or. they wero disturbed,-for at'-this point , their operations-.ceased.' .- n r j. ■ The. men' loft \ behind' thein the gas cylinders, -the- blowpipe, -a ; : quantity: "of burglars', tools—hammers, axes, . skeleton keys, jemmies, and braces.: Screens'were •fixed round the gas. apparatus to prevent the full glare of the light being seen by anyone passing, the building. ! . 'I'hev had also installed an electrical signalling apparatus by . which*, a man stationed at tho. top of the" building could signal on tho approach of'danger to the operators at the safe. They placed linen, across the lower: half of the 'front windows, 'and all, the doors were tightly bound with rope to .prevent anyone entering. Across the top/of the main staircase were placed ropes a foot from the floor to trip anyone who might enter. ■ The ■ thieves left behihd - them two car.tloads of: debris. The-only, things .missing'-were"? 'diamond, ring: valued at '%!, ,-a.few shillings, in,'.'silver,:,.and a quantity of. postage - .', .