£80 STOLEN

Hokitika Guardian, 1 December 1930, Page 5

£BO STOLEN

FROM PETROL STATION. (By Telegraph—Press Association). CHRISTCHURCH, November 29. Thieves entered the petrol station of Eder and Wright, in Colombo Street, Sydenham, yesterday evening, taking £S6 from tbe till. They opened a little whore at the back and took some money from a suit of clothes left there by Mr Wright. The station has an all-night service, and usually one or other of the partners sleeps on the premises. Since the road in -front has been under construction this custom has been abandoned, however. The thieves gained ■ enWapce to the station through a side door, which is protected from the street by an angle of the wall. An attempt'to jemmy open the door failing, a wooden post wns used as a battering ram, the door being broken back from its hinges. An aperture was left through which a small man could climb. ■

The office is in the front of the building and is protected by a glass-panelled door. The glass was broken and the lock opened. The cash drawer was thefi forced.

The tilieves then went to a row of sheds at the back, one section of which, is fitted up as a bedroom. Mr Wright had been wearing a good suit of clothes in the afternoon, but having some mechanical work to do, had changed. The good suit, which had money in the pockets, was left in the whore. He went home without again changing.

When he arrived this morning he found that in addition to the office burglary the whare had been entered and all the money in his clothes stolen.

A previous theft occurred several weeks ago, a parcel of clothing being taken from the station.

Detective Findlay, who investigated the case this morning, is stated to have questioned a man in connection with this and the previous theft from the place, though no arrest has vet been made.