ANOTHER BURGLARY AT AUCKLAND

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 826, 26 February 1903, Page 2

ANOTHER BURGLARY AT AUCKLAND

Bv Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, last night. Early this morning Constable Murray discovered a fire in the office of John Reid and Co., Fort street. He smashed in the window, and found the door of the safe wide open, and some of tho office books burning on the floor. The Fire Brigade arrived promptly, and extinguished “the fire in its incipient stage. An examination showed that the safe had been opened with a key. Though tne door was wide open the locks were shot There was a secret spring in the safe, without operating which it would have been impossible to open the safe. The books were spread out, apparently with the object of allowing the fire to take effect. The cash box was cleared of about £2O. A number of cheques were untouched. So far there is no indication as to how entrance was effected, and the affair is a complete mystery.

Later.—David Somerville, head clerk of Reid and Co., has been arrested and charged at the Police Court with having wilfully set fire to the premises, also with the theft of £3O, the property of his employers. He was remanded till AVednesday, bail being allowed, himself in £IOO and two sureties of £IOO each. The incendiary used a largo quantity cf straw, and empty bottles in the vicinityindicated that methylated spirits were used to induce a conflagration. Straw was piled on top of the books. The straw was only- partly- burned when the fire wai extinguished.