BURGLARS AT WORK.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 September 1923, Page 4

BURGLARS AT WORK.

STORE SAFE BLOWN OPEN. AUCKLAND, Sep. 11. A great sensation has been caused at Katikati, a prosperous farming district near AA'aihi. on the east coast of the Hauraki Peninsula, by a daring burglarly which was executed in such a complete and business-like manner as to indicate the fact that expert cracksmen wero at work.

The premises of the Farmers' Union Trading Company at Ivatikati were broken into some time on Sunday night or early on Alondnv morning, the safe was blown open, and about £IOO in cash and cheques were extracted. OFFICE IN STATE OF CHAOS.

Senior-Sergeant O’Gradv, of AA'aihi. is making investigations at the township. The job was executed in a neat and careful manner. It appears that the store manager and an assistant had boon engaged in the office up to 5.30 on Sunday afternoon, and the first intimation that anything was wrong was when the manager opened up the store on Alonday morning at 8 o'clock. He found the office in a state of chaos. The safe had fallen from its stand, the door was open, and its contents were all missing, including about £IOO in cash and £3O in cheques. Investigation showed that entrance to the store had been gained bv breaking the glass panel of the front door, a piece of felt being used to prevent the operator's hand from being cut. USE OF GELIGNITE. Gelignite had been used to blow open the safe, but only an amount sufficient to shatter the leek and cause the minimum of noise and damage. Also, with this in view, the office books had been placed against the door of the safe, and coats were also utilised to deaden the sound. The two inside drawers of the safe bad been locked, but the careful midnight visitor fused just sufficient gelignite to shatter the framework of the drawers and make the rest easy. Two pieces of fuse, each ten niches in length, had been used, one for the lock of the safe and the other for the drawers inside. Investigation also points to the But that gloves or other protection were used to guard against telltale fingerprints.

Heavy rain fell on Sunday niglit. making the conditions all the mori easv lor the unwelcome visitors.