THE EXPRESS ROBBERY

Hokitika Guardian, 6 August 1928, Page 1

THE EXPRESS ROBBERY

ißy Telegraph—Per Press Association. INVERCARGILL, Aug. 5. Some pointed remarks deprecating tho considerable delay in announcing the loss of a mail hag from the night express on Sunday, July 29th. were made by business men on Saturday, the concensus of opinion being that the senders of the mail were entitled to know of the occurrence as eni’lv as possible, in order that arrangements could be made to prevent unnecessary inconvenience. “There i.s no doubt that immediate publicity would have proved valuable in the detection of the crime,” said the manager of an agency business who deals with clients in all parts of the South Island. “As it is, a whole week has elapsed, and the criminal has been given ample opportunity to perfect his organisation for the disposal of the: valuable contents of the mails. Had the loss ""been announced immediately, people in all parts of the Dominion would have been watchful for any suspicious movements, and information leading to the early upprchcMiesioti of the thief might have been the outcome.” The fact that registered mail could he stolen as easily as ordinary mail, was the subject of indignant comment by another man, who expressed the opinion that registered mail should be carefully handled to eliminate the risk of theft. According to the District Traffic Manager, Mr J. Pickard, the theft would not be so simple as might be thought since porters were in attendance at the van until the actual departure of the train, when they closed the doors. Further, the coaching foreman and the guard would also he working about the van, so that it would have been a very difficult- matter for a thief to steal a bag under those circumstances. Another point was that the van was near tho booking office, in a very conspicuous part of the station, and one which was well lighted. With regard to the theory that a person could have walked through the -sleeping cars and into the van, Mr Pickard said that, assuming the thief to be a man, this was not practicable as the “sleeper” next to the van was a ladies compartment, and no male passengers were allowed admittance. “It has been ascertained,” continued Mr Pickard, “that their was no possibility of a theft between Invercargill and Dunedin. When the train reaches Dunedin, the van door is opened by the porters, who remain by it until they have finished their work, when the doors are closed again. For anyone to have gone out of a carriage and deliberately to have walked into the guard’s van is incredible. There is an element of grave risk since the guard is likely to return. to his van at any time. There is also, a possibility of being seen by the passengers in the compartment next to the van.”