£5000 ROBBERIES

Hokitika Guardian, 26 May 1931, Page 5

£SOOO ROBBERIES

(By Telegraph—Per Press A ssociation)

DUNEDIN, May 25. The sequel to tour daring burglaries, which have occurred in Dunedin between January and the begining ol the present mouth and which resulted in the loss of property of a value or nearly £SOOO, was heard in the City Police Court this morning, when Thomas William Wilson, amis William Hem v, appeared on charges of having broken and entered the premises of Messrs A. S. Black and bon, furriers the Hudson Fur Coy; and W. J. Paterson jeweller. Mr Bundle, S.M., presided. Prior to Wilson’s appearance on these charges, he was charged, in conjunction with Robert Saunders, with having on the night of May 11th, assaulted Walter Gabriel Rossiter with intent to rob him. Chief Detective Cameron stated that the principal witnesses were still under medical treatment, and on his application a mrther remand until Monday, June 2nd, was granted. miaou was cnnrged with, on April 19, breaking and entering tlie ahoy of Hubert Mi e rut liiaek, turner, of George Street, and stealing 2d fur coats and a number of furs oi a total value of £461); with, on January 24th breaking and entering the shop of Herbert \v right, trading as Dawson and Coy.,jeweners in George Street and stealing a quantity of jewellery including SO diamond rings, 170 gem rings or various descriptions, 60 gold signet rings, seven gold watches ami two gold wm. eh chains, of a total value of £3000; with on April 28th, breaking and. entering the jeweller’s shop of William James Paterson, George Street, and stealing a quantity of miscellnn eons jewellery valued at £B4l los, and with, on May 9th, breaking and entering the premises of the Hudson Fur' Company, and stealing 15 fur coats and 44 ladies’ dresses of a total value of £SOO.

The neused, in a written statement outlined the method he had adopted in connection with each burglary. in the case of the robbery at Wrights, the accused was assisted by two accomplices. The smallest of the three gained access to the cellar, and bored a hole in the floor to the shop. The accused stood hr front of the shop window, and, by means of pre-aranged signals, indicated that the coast was clear. The man in the. shop 'extracted £3OOO worth of jewellery from the window in full view of the passersbv, who, no doubt, thought that lie was employed in the shop. None of the jewellery was recovered. In the case of the furs, a portion of. that taken from Black’ has been recovered .but a large quantity is still missing. Hudson Fur Coy’s., goods hnve been recovered. The accused pleaded guilty to atr of the charges and lie was committed for sente noe.