BURGLARS AT WORK.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1203, 3 February 1914, Page 2

BURGLARS AT WORK.

RAILWAY STATION BROKEN INTO.

The local railway station was burglariously entered between 10.30 o’clock on .Saturday night and daylight on Sunday morning. An entrance.was gained by means of one of the windows of the office, which was prized open with the assistance of a chisel, the lock of same being broken and a nail holding the top of the sash bent. On gaining an entrance, the burglar, or burglars, ransacked all the drawers and cabinets in the office, forcing the locks in every case. Their haul from this source was not a very big one, the total sum taken being £1 15s 6d. That the intruders were well prepared for their work was shown by evidence of an attempt to blow open the office safe, for which purpose gelatine was used. Fortunately the attempt was unsuccessful, but as a result of the explosion the lock and door of the safe were damaged considerably. Swags from the parcels office were used to deaden the sound of the explosion. After their unsuccessful attempt to open the safe, the intruders made good their escape, using as an exit the door of the main office, which was locked from the inside, and which they left open after them. The bullseye lantern used by the porter, and which was left in the office, was used by the burglars. The discovery that the premises had been broken into was made by the stationmaster, Mr H. Daniell, when he visited the station at about 10 o’clock on Sunday morning. The police were at once informed, and Detective Quirke came down from Palmerston North yesterday morning, and is now engaged in investigating the matter. The police found near the safe half a plug of gelatine, a screw driver and a chisel, and two pieces of burnt fuse.