CURIOUS FREAKS OF BURGLARS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 102, 30 April 1879, Page 4

CURIOUS FREAKS OF BURGLARS.

On going to his place of business in Rattray-street as usual this morning (says the Dunedio Star, of April 2), Mr A. Mercer discovered that his premises bad been forcibly entered during tbe previous daw by some persons, who had remained in possession sufficiently long to ransack the whole of the ' contents of the-sbop. Oatbe floor* oases ©Hollies, jars of prunes olive bodies,

tins of preserved fruits were indiscriminately strewn about, whilst the appearance of the outer showed tbat the object of the visitors was more for the gratification of tl.eir stomachs tban the sake of plunder. Whatever delicacies met tha eye had been partaken of, and the tastes of the wouldbe burglars were found to be of a remarkable description. For instance, all the cheese and butter bad been sampled; seidlitz powders bad been drunk as well as bottles of beer; jars of preserved fruits bnj been opened only to be cast aside when found not to their taste; and even bottles cf castor oil bad not been left untouched ! Tbe richer provisions and wines, strange to to say, were not indulged in — the shelves where the choice lollies and tinned cakes and the '34 port were stored beiog left in their normal stute. Tbe till, which contained about six shillings worth of coppers, bad been emptied of its cont-nts; but ao open desk io which some 34s in silver had been left, and oot interfered with. Mr Mercer states that with a stork such as tbat in his place it would bu impo.sibla to tell from a cursory glance whether anything had been carried away, but appearances certainly do not lead him to suppose so.