JEWEL ROBBERY

Hokitika Guardian, 1 December 1931, Page 5

JEWEL ROBBERY

OLD MAN’S ORDEAL.

ASSAULTED AND GAGGED.

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association)

WELLINGTON, Nov. 30

Assaulted, bound and gagged, Mr. P. Isaacs, a, well-known ‘importer, lay helpless for several hours on the floor of his warehouse in the city this afternoon, while his assailants made off with a quantity of jewellery. Air Isaacs, who is 77 years of age, was in a bad way when found. His store is on the ground floor of a concrete building, owned by J. Myers and Coy., at the corner of Featlier.stoi Street and Hunter Street, and Isaacs was an importer of fancy -gorth, jewellery, watches, and Ceylon ’ teas. He had no assistants, and was in the habit of closing bis shop for lunch until 2.L!> p.lll. At about 2.30" a man entered, and begun pricing some goods. Another man, it is alleged, then dashed in and joined h'm. Isaacs was pummelled by their fists, seized, gagged and bound. The robbers trussed him up, tying bis hards in front of him with string, twine and very light rope, find bound his month with pieces of towelling, which they passed roufid his face. They then went through the stock, selecting their booty from diamond rings and, ladies’ watches.

Isaacs does not think that they went to the safe, which was unlocked along side him, Hlaving satisfied themselves limit they had got all that they required, the men then made their exit slamming the doors behind them. On the door C’ev left a notice: “Back at 4 o’clock.”

By steady efforts Isaacs was able to shift the gag from his mouth. He called out for a very long time, but traffic prevented his cries from being beard.

At (> o’clock, a man named McGregor, of AY. D. and H. O. AA’ills, hoard bis cries and going to tb e door of bis shop, found it sbut. He then met R, Read, Secretary for J. Myers and Coy., and told him that Isaacs was locked in. Read climbed on to the sill of a frosted and barred window and on looking through, lie saw Isaacs lying on the floor at tbe end of the counter. A Sergeant and a Constable soon arrived and forced tbe door. Isaacs was bruised about the face, where lie bad been struck by bis assailants, but bis bonds were quickly freed, and lie was able to toll a little about the ordeal through which he had passed.