TOBACCO BURGLARS

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 104, 23 July 1927, Page 1

TOBACCO BURGLARS

BREAK AT MOUNT EDEN WHERE DO THE STOCKS GO? WHERE do the large stocks of ’ tobacco go which are periodically stolen from city and suburban stores? Time and again, when stores are broken into by burglars, the only commodity taken is tobacco and cigaThe latest victims of the tobacco burglar are D. Smith and Co., general provision merchants, whose store is situated at the Mount Eden tram terminus. Last evening intruders broke into the store and stole £ls worth of tobacco and cigaretes, £2 in small change from the safe, and a few shillings from the till. Entrance had been gained by prising open the window into the office. This opened into the backyard. “We had been expecting burglars for some time,” said Mr. Smith this morning. “There have been three previous attempts to break into the store. This time the burglars have been successful.” He said that everything in the office had been disturbed, but the thieves had left behind a Jubilee halfsovereign, which was in a packet. A patent docket register on the shop counter had been interfered with. IS THERE A BURGLAR’S AGENT? Although there were provisions of every kind in the store the burglars did not bother about anything except the tobacco and money. Hungry men do not steal tobacco, it has been suggested by one of the victims of the recent burglaries that the supplies of tobacco must be dis posed of through some agent. Tobacco and cigarettes do not carry any distinguishing shop mark and therefore they are difficult, if not impossible, to trace by the police. ROYAL OAK BURGLARY GROCER’S LOSS SHOP CLEARED OF TOBACCO OURGLARS also broke into a grocer’s shop owned by Mr. G. Pearce, at Royal Oak, some time last night, and stole tobacco valued at about £ls and other goods to the value of £5. Mr. Pearce opened the shop, known as the Groceteria, only about six weeks ago. He lives at the back of the shop, but. did not hear anything during the night. When he retired at 10.30 o’clock everything was in order. This morning, when Mr. Pearce went into the shop, he found the glass in the door had been broken and entrance gained by turning the lock on the inside. The shop had been cleared of its stock of tobacco and cigarettes, and about £5 worth of ham, bacon, butter and toilet soap had been taken.