A FRIDAY HOLD-UP

Hokitika Guardian, 5 December 1931, Page 6

A FRIDAY HOLD-UP

MELBOURNE FACTORY

£3SQ PAY ROLL STOLEN

MELBOURNE, Nov. 7

• Although the police had expressed a confident belief that in capturing nine mien in the raid last week, and having them sentenced to short terms of imprisonment, they had put an end for the time at least to the career of the gang of thieves concerned in the series of weekly pay-roll robberies, there was definite evidence ytsterdav that the expert criminals are still free. Having carried out daring and profitable hold-up in the city and surburbs with monotonus regularity, lor -some weeks past, the gang of three" hold-up men visited the factory of the Pitman Shoe Company, Groom Street, Clifton Hill, yesterday, and stole the firm’s pay roll of’ £350. The robbery was carried Out in Inoard daylight, with the cool daring which has characterised the previous crimes. The thieves staged a successtul getaway in a motor-car, after putting their victim out of action by a very simple ruse. The theft was so veil planned that nobody caught moie than a. mere glinise of the robbers. Acting on the advice of the police, who have got a creditable record in cheeking the activities of this criminal gaugj the victims of the-’hold-ups were most reticent regarding the details.'But it was learnt that the hold-up occurred about 3 pun., and was carried out without a hitch. At that time, Mr G. Overgaard, partner of the firm, returned to the factory in a motor-car with a bag containing the employees’ pay, which he bad Collected at a bank in Smith Street, Collingwood. Getting out of bis car he noticed that the wooden doors to the factory entrance were closed. These doors lead into a small lobby completely partitioned off from the general office, the office door being kept closed. LOCKED IN Mr Overgaard pushed open one ol the out doors and stepped into the Jobby. As he did so lie was struck heavily - oil the right forearm with a revolver butt or an iron bar. Before lie recovered -from his pain and amazement Mr Overgaard felt his cash bag pulled from bis hand. With lightning speed Mr Overgaard’s assaiilent; twisted round him on to the foot path; and closed the door. Mr Overgaard tried to force the door open, hut found, to his dismay, that the thief had coolly pinned the bolts oiv. the -outside of .the door, thus locking him in. .-t ,As Mr Overgaard was struck the blow on the arm lie cried out in pain. His cry was heard by a girl clerk, who opened the office door and saw Mr Overgaard nursing bis injured arm. “I’ve been robbed!” Mr Overgaard called out,, “and the thief has locked the' door from the outside.” Tlie girl ran out the back of the factory and up the firm’s private driveway iirto Groom Street. She was just in time to see a motor-car containing three men disappearing along towards Alexandra Parade. NO WITNESSES. A remarkable fact is that nobody in the vicinity seemed to have witnessed the hold-up. Mr Overgaard entered the factory at a time when the street was deserted of people, except for the two thieves in the car and their companion hiding in the lobby to snatch the cash bag. Mr Overgaard was attacked so suddenly that he wa,s literally rushed off His feet, and only got a passing glimse of his assailent. Mrs H. Lowdon, who lives opposite tho factory, went to her front door to collect some bread, and saw a man inserting a spike on the outside bolts of the factory door. Tile man, who was shabbily dressed, hurried to a. motor-car, blit, rot suspecting anything was amiss Mrs I owdon returned indoors without taking a nv further notice of tlie man or the car. Apparently, nobody else in the street witnessed the incident. No special notice was taken of any motor-car at. the score, because there were several traveller’s cars outside the factory when the hold-up was perpetrated. Norman Hadeldeane, a. mechanic, employed by the firm, was greasing a motor-car in the firm’s driveway. He was only a few yards from the scene of the hold-up, but he was underneath the car, he knew nothing of what was happening. lUs first knowledge that a robbery bad been perpetrated was when tlie girl clerk, who bad run into tho street, informe 1 him of the theft. It was then too late to give chase, as the thieves had completely disappeared.