BURGLARS ACTIVE IN AUCKLAND

Hokitika Guardian, 18 June 1929, Page 7

BURGLARS ACTIVE IN AUCKLAND

TAKE DAILING risks. ATTEMPT TO ENTER SAVINGS RANK. ATTOKTj VNT), Juno 14. Cat burglars have boon very active in some of the city office building during the past two weeks, although they nave got very little for their trouble. Last night they were busy again, getting as far as the roof of the Auckland Savings Bank. The burglary had .no doubt been planned on spectacular and daring lines. The thieves took great risk in entering the Torniquist Studio in the Majestic Theatre building which would eventually bring them out on the roof of the Savings Bank directly behind Torniquist’s premises First of all they walked up a well-lighted stairway, which was barred at the first floor by a six foot iron grille folding gate. This gate; which the thieves climbed, can be seen by anyone in Queen Street who might look up the stairway. Once inside Torniquistks premises they opened a side window which leads on to a light well on tlw the second floor. From the light well another window was opened, allowing .them entranco into a workroom >' visit was made to the office, the operators leaving a trail of matches all over the building. The office was forced onon from the workroom. A tall stop ladder was obtained and by some means hauled through numbers of glass slats and windows on t' the roof of the Savings Bank. Thu morning the ladder was found on the roof." “There is no doubt that the objective of the thieves was the bank chamber below,’ said the manager of the Torniquist Studio this morning. “How they got the ladder through the mam panes of glass which are placed in cor tain positions to give light to the workroom and studio is a mystery. Detectives told me this morning they would not care to go through tliesr .windows in daylight, let alone take r ladder through at night.” . Nothing was stolen from Torniqnist’s premises.

The building occupied by the Schmidt Studio and a number of dentists and doctors was also visited bv the thieves who later broke into the simp ,of Schnoiclennan Ltd., which fronts Queen Street. Apparently tlm office-breakers obtained little for tlieb troub'e although" they took great risks in climbing along pities and window sills in an air vent in the building Climbing a stairway in an air ven which divides the building in the centre the thieves gained access to the ani’rtments of Mr. F. Brown, dentist and visited every room, including the surgery, which has a small safe in a corner near the door.

Inspection of the stairway reveals that, the intruders must have been remarkably agile, since a man would have to bang on to narrow lodges and grin cross girders in order to reach the second floor window, through which access was gained to Air Brown’s room Several pieces of gold were lving a bom 1 in the dentists workroom together with a sot of teeth on a gold plate, but these the thieves ingored. Ransacking a small office| opening off flic dentist’s private corridor the thieves found a three-penny piece in a smal' box and this coin was the only reward. Several shilling’s worth of stamps were left on si desk in tlie sm—orv.

The thieves made a week attempt (mmi the safe. Their only “instrument” was a door key removed from the lock on top of the safe. Dr. Horton’s suite on the orposito side of the air vent from Air Brown’s surgery was entered, but little of value was obtained. The thiol had a dangerous climb across a girder and up a narrow water pine to reach the window sill of Dr. Horton’s rooms. ■Finger .prints and foo'tmarks were clearly discernible on the window sill this morning, and a window latch was broken.

The Crown Studio in a nearby building was also enitored. Kntrance to ‘-‘ebneideman’s was gained by a ground floor window at the rear. Tbo thief found himself eon lined to a workroom, in •which there were SO suits on a long rack. None of these he removed. Apparently he left by a window on discovering that eniranee to the front shop and office, in which the safe is located was barred by a stout evor.