DARING BURGLARIES.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2277, 5 July 1880, Page 2

DARING BURGLARIES.

A determined attempt In r:>!> (he Post Ollice was made at. an early hour on Sunday nmming. The pitch darkness prevailing at (lie time considerably facilitated (he opera I ions of (lie would-be thieves. An entrance was elfeetcd by (he removal of a pane of: glass in (he Post Udine window and immediately over the newspaper box. Tlie intnuler was disturbed while endeavoring - (o force the door of the safe, whieh'seems to have given him considerable trouble. A few stamps and some coppers were all (hat were missed. The thief must have been engaged with the safe for a considerable lime, for Messrs Cumming and Jackson, of the telegraph department, were in the operating room of the Telegraph Dl'lice, which is at the rear of the Post Office, at 12.d0 a.m., and distinctly heard a noise as of breaking glass. They imagined that it proceeded from ?dessrs Coy and Drummond's shop and therefore took no notice of it. Later on, about 2.00 a.m., Mr Cnmming bad occasion to pass through the premises when his suspicions were aroused by bearing sounds proceeding from the mail room where the safe is kept, lie now got Air Jackson to join him, and subsequently, with the assistance of .Mr Townsend, who happened to be passing down the street, the ollicc was surrounded, Mr Cnmming being posted in front and the others at the rear of the premises. The burglar appears to have jumped off the front window sill a few minutes afterwards, but owing - to the darkness of the night he got safely away from his pursuers. The chmisy implements the thieves (for it is supposed that more than one man must have been implicated) left behind them, consisting of a heavy poker, a forgo shovel, and a sledge hammer, also the manner in which they obtained access to the premises points distinctly to the conclusion that the work was that of prentice hands.” An attempt was also made to break into the premises of the New Zealand Clothing Factory either on (Saturday night or early on Sunday morning. Here the iron bars Jixed inside the windows bullied the intentions of the burglars, who seem to have retired after breaking a pane of glass at the rear of the premises.