£7000 JEWEL THEFT

Hokitika Guardian, 28 May 1920, Page 4

£7OOO JEWEL THEFT

LONDON, April 3. An amazing theft of £7,000 worth of jewels by two well-dressed men, who gagged and bound a maidservant ;n a West 'End maisonette, is being investigated by Scotland Yard detectives. The time and circumstances of the theft, as well as the dramatic kiriemalike manner in which it was executed have rarely been paralleled. The robbery took place at No 11a , King’s road, Chelsea, S.W., tenanted by Miss Dorothy Halton, who until a few months ago lived in South Mol ton street. Misa Halton, who is tall and fair, is 25. She has a large cirob of frients in the West End and has considerable means. Her rooms are lux ir- | ioifely furnished. She has only one J maidservant, aged about -30. | About 11 a.m. on Thursday Miss Dalton left her home for a ride in Rotten ’ Row with a woman friend. For some I time past she has been in the habit f of talcing liorse-riding exercise in Hyde I Park, and possibly this was known to | the thieves.

About ten minutes after she left the house the door bell rang and when the servant opened the door two well-diess-ed men, who as she says “ldoked like gentlemen,” immediately euteied. “Halton ?” one of them said. ■Wo have come about the geyser.

The geyser had been out of repair and the unsuspecting girl went with toe two men upstairs. On reaching the. dining room tho men seized her, put a gag of cotton wool in her mouth, bound her with silken underwear which they picked up in the adjoining room, a'nd placed her on a settee. Sho lost consciousness, and there is a possibi.dy that the gag was drugged. A few minutes after one o’clock Miss Halton, returning from tier rido, heard moans as she opened the door. Going upstairs she found her servant •semi-conscious and suffering from shock still lying on the settee. She then noticed that some of her most costly jewels had been taken from a box on her dressing table. She at once informed the police. So far tho police have not been able, to get in touch with the men or the stolen jewels which consisted of g-*kl and diamond rings, .bracelets, and pendants. One of the stolen articles--! beautiful diamond and platinum plaque —is valued at £1,500.