A Daring Robbery.

Manawatu Herald, 14 July 1903, Page 2

A Daring Robbery.

During Friday night or Saturday morning one of the most daring robberies which have occurred in Wellington for several years was committed. The scene of the affair was the office of Messrs Jones and Co./ coal and firewood merchants, near the corner of Clyde quay and Courtenay place. Entrance was gained to the premises by climbing over a corrugated iron fence at the rear of the yard and then forcing the door of the office. The burglars placed the office safe on a truck and removed it into the yard. They then filled the keyhole with dynamite, which they exploded with a fuse. The lining of the safe door was burst in, and the contents, which comprised about £6O in cash, the office books, and a number of cheques, were abstracted. The safe was opened in a very skilful manner. Gyeat precaution was taken to muffle the sound of the explosion, as the safe was wrapped up in about twenty sacks and a coat which bad- bean removed from the office.

Mr Williams, a member of the firm, lives next door to the office. His mother was aroused shortly after midnight by the barking of a dog. She looked but of her window, but could not see anyone. She listened for some time, but, hearing nothing bat the noise of the gale and the rattling of the iron with which the adjoining premises are constructed, did not think there was reason for alarm.. V:..

Mr Cornea!, a tobacconist, residing in Courtenay place, stables the racehorse Heritas in Jones and Co.’s yard. He beard the animal making a peculiar noise about midnight, but did not consider it necessary to turn out and see what was wrong. His wile looked out of one of the back windows but saw nothing unusual. The horse had evidently been frightened by the report of the explosion, for the safe was dynamited near the stable door.

Messrs Jones and Co. had been exceptionally busy lately, and they devoted Friday to collecting their accounts,

The damage which the thieves wrought and the money they carried off wilUeaye Messrs Jones and Co. losers of . about £7l- The office books, cheques, etc., were scattered about the yard, but were not damaged to any great extent.—N.Z. Times.