BURGLARS.

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 867, 17 April 1903, Page 3

BURGLARS.

By ’iVicrr;]pli—Pres:, AarouaUnr.

Auckluud, last night. Numerous burglaries of money and jewellery have been reported recently. Burglar's ran lacked the residence of Mr l-'in'oi:, in Vv’ynilrmm street, on Monday nigh;, and secured jewellery, valued at Tib. tho property of a visitor, Mrs Proud. 1 M YSTEKIOCH AND UNWELCOME ATTENTIONS. Tuesday’s Auckland Herald states:— T.V- ijuydary who have been favoring the nMiionw of Auckland and tiie suburbs with tlieir mysterious anil unwelcome attentions at such frequent intervals fur the past, eight or nine months seem to have come to slay, and notwithstanding the efforts of the pol’ee they are continuing to pursue the even tenor of their unlawful wav, both by day and by night, and m main thorough fan. s as well as in the less- !. i quanted sine Elects. Tut: burglars st::-in to have- beiauri- emboldened by their In!,!- oainnui-y from capture or detection, ami ibey arc'now plying their nefarious c tiling with a degree uf audacity and imped: nee tint is creating a feeling of i:era. 1 mifwintss in the community.

During the last two or three days -since the commencement oi the Easter holidays —no ie-s than three burglaries have taken place, and two oi these have been perpetrated during the hours of broad daylight, and in main streets where there is always more or less a constant stream of traffic to and fro. One of the must daring burglaries yet recorded is that which was carried out yesterday, between tiie hours of half-past-nine a.iit. and half-past six p.m., at the residence of Mr Hugh Gilmore, in Maiiukau road, Newmarket. Mr Gilmore is at present absent from home, and tho other members of the family, including Mrs W, 11. Smith, a sister of Airs Giimore, who,

with Air Smith, is staying in tho homie, spent tho day yesterday picnicking at St. ifoiiers Hay. Tho house was left securely fastened, as it was thought-, and Air Smith before the party left examined all the

doors and windows to see that they wero locked. A watch was evidently being kept on tiic house, and the fact that all the members of the household would bo absent for the whole of ttio day seems to have been known to the thieves, who were thus enabled to carry out their work undisturbed. When the inmates of the house returned in tho evening they found that lhu house hud been entered from the back

during their absence, and the nature of the unexpected intrusion was soon very evident. A glance into several of the principal rooms revealed a stated of indescribable confusion and disorder. Trunks and chests of drawers had been ruthlessly wrenched open, and the contents dragged out and strewn about tho lioors, in an evident search for money and articles of high value. Some four or five rooms had been entered in all, and from one of these a largo number of articles of jewellery belonging to Mrs Smith was found to have been taken. Some money had also been left in the house, and about £BS of tiiis was stolen, as well as two cheques, representing a lurcher amount of about To. Hart of the muney was in a drawer, and a portion in a small bag, which tho thieves had cut open and left behind them after removing the contents. Some To in gold was in a lady’s purse in one of the rooms, and this was included in tho total amount stolen. Eortunatoly tho burglars overlooked one of tho rooms in which the most valuable jewellery was kept. This was found to bo undisturbed, and a considerable sum of money had also escaped the notice of the thieves. There was a great ueui of valuable silverware in tho House, but this was not touched, the booty desired by the robbers being evidently

only money and jewellery. Amongst the jewellery stolen were several presents and keepsakes, which had boon in tho possession of Ati-s Smith for many years, but the intrinsic value was not great in comparison with that of thu jewellery which was left behind. The thieves left a chisel behind them, and it was evidently hy means of this that the entry was effected. A box had been used ;ts a means of reaching the kitchen window, and tho marks of the chisel on the sill showed that an unsuccessful attempt had been made to foreo the window open. A small square of glass in tho dour had been broken, and an effort apparently mudo to unlock tho door by

putting a hand inside to the key, which had been left in tiie lock. This attempt was also a failure, and resort was then made to bursting the door open by force, with tho aid of the chisel. The matter is now in the hands of tho police.