GOLD INGOTS STOLEN.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2090, 27 May 1907, Page 4

GOLD INGOTS STOLEN.

DARING THEFT FROM A LON-

DON EXHIBITION.

A skilfully planned and daringly executed roll bury lias boon porpotratd at tbo South African Exhibition tviiieh was rocoutly hold in London. Late ono night, shortly before tlio closing of tho oxliibition, a gang of thiovos managed to steal two gol f ingots of tho valno lof ratlior more than £ISOO, tho most valuablo of tho many interesting exhibits belonging to the Madilii Gold-mining Coir, j ly, of Kimborloy. Tho success of tho raid u . > all tho more romarkablo iii viow of tho.elaborate precautions which had boon taken to safeguard tho gold. The two bars, which weighed respectively 287 ounces and 149 ounces, woro placed in a glass case, measuring 20m by 18ih, on a stand in the Capo soction. Tho exhibit was especially intorosting, as this was tho first gold which had reached England as the result of tho newly-established mining operations in British Bechuanaland.

When first brought to tho exhibition the gold was in a non-lock-up case, but Mr. Atkinson, tho managor, fearful of tho danger of robbery, himself had a lock-up case mado, and each night this was placed in a Chubb’s safe. Hut tho exhibition authorities took furtlior precautions. A uniformed policeman and a detective were always on duty in tho hall, and another man was appointed whoso especial day it was to keep' a watch on tho gold. These precautions availed nothing against tho skill and daring of the tbioves. At half-past 9 one night the band was playing and tho hall was well filled with visitors. In the Capo section, within a few yards of the case, wero four attendants. At that hour the bars wero safe in their case. Then the gang of oxperts set to work. An attendant who was standing by the case was approached by a welldressed man and asked for information about tho exhibit which was on tho othor sido of tho passage, tlirco yards away. And tho other three attendants at tho same moment were questioned bv other visitors about exjiibits which wero also somo yards away from tho case. At this moment a man about sft Din in' hoiglit, with a black moustache, medium build, wearing a cloth cap and a brown macintosh with a cape, walked quietly away from the spot. So hurriedly did he movo that lio, with apparent rudeness, knocked against three ladles,. who then noticed, that lie was carrying a glass case under his cape. At the time tlioy thought lio was someone attached to tho exhibition. Tho man walked to the emergency exit, about 15 yards away, which leads to Elvorton-street, a side turning. At the main exit, which loads to Vincent Square, there are always attendants on duty. At the Elver-ton-street omorgoncy exit no ono is placed. Within two minutes of the disappearance of tho thiof the case was missed. An immediate alarm was raised, and urgent messages were sent to Rochester Row Police Station, which is within 100 yards of tho hall, and to Scotland Yard, but by the time the detectives arrived all trace of tho actual thiof and of his supposed confederates was lost. Mr. Macnaghton, the head of the Criminal Investigation Department of Scotland Yard, who has taken charge of tlio case, visited the scene of the robberv, and a number of the most oxEort detective officers were scouring on don in search of tlio thief.

The police fcar_ that within an hour of the robbery the ingots were melted down, thus destroying their identity. The larger of the two had tlio figures "90” stamped on it. The gold-mining company had taken the precaution of insuring the gold against burglary.