DIAMOND ROBBERY

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 169, 13 April 1921, Page 6

DIAMOND ROBBERY

BIG HAUL FROM A CITY HOTEL OVER £2OOO WORTH OF GEMS STOLEN OTHER THEFTS REPORTED What will rank among the biggest hotel robberies in the history of the city was perpetrated yesterday in Wellington, when a valuable parcel of diamonds was stolen from one of the principal hotels. The victim of the robbery is a Mr. Barron. a travelling diamond, merchant, who is on a business visit to the city. Mr. Barron was-in the habit of keeping hio satchel containing the diamonds in the safe in the hotel nt which he was stopping. Yesterday afternoon, however, he placed the satchel in his room, which he left for a few minutes. On his return he noticed that the satchel had disappeared, and a search of the room failing to reveal it. he notified the hotel manager and police of his loss. Ihe detectives immediately took the case in hand, but up to a late hour last night no leport had been received of the police haring made an arrest. Mr. Barron values the stolen diamond® at over JU2OOO. It is understood that this is only one of several thefts that have taken place of late in the citv hotels. Organised gangs of hotel thieves are apparently operating on an extensive scale in various parts of the Dominion. Palmerston North received an unwelcome visitation recently during the progress of a bowling tournament, the sum of .6200 being stolen from bowlers who were staying at local hotels. Robberies have also been reported from boardinghouses in Rotorua.