Agile Thief Enters Three City Offices

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 685, 10 June 1929, Page 1

Agile Thief Enters Three City Offices

PHOENIX CHAMBERS “CAT’ BURGLAR AGAIN During the week-end a thief ransacked three offices in the Phoenix Chambers, Lower Queen Street. It is possible that this is the work of the "cat” burglar who broke into the Strand Arcade last week. Though the contents of the offices were disturbed, the intruder’s haul consisted only of a tin of cigarettes and a few shillings. THOSE who suffered from the activities of the intruder were: Chilwell and Trevithick, architects, on the top floor. Mr. W. F. Fennell, solicitor, third floor. The proprietress of the Phoenix Agency, third floor. Entrance to each office had been gained by climbing through the halfopen fanlight above each door. The thief must have been of very slight build to be able to do this, and a ladder must have been used to reach the fanlights. Mr. B. C. Chilwell said this morning that the office was left in disorder. Tho safe, which contained only a few shillings, had been opened and the money taken, but as the key is always left hanging nearby, this was not difficult. Drawers in the various tables had been searched and a tin of cigarettes had been taken from one of them. “We never leave any large sums of money in the safe,” said Mr. Chilwell, “and it is better to leave the key where it can be found rather than have the safe blown open.” Deeds and documents were scattered everywhere in Mr. Fennell’s office, where the safe had also been opened. Files had been searched and left in disorder. A set of war medals, two quite valuable pearls $ id a 10s postal note had been overlooiced by the thief. Nothing was taken from the office of the Phoenix Agency, although the room had been searched thoroughly. In each instance the thief left by the door, leaving each one open. Entrance to the Phoenix Chambers could be gained easily as the front entrance is left open all night. The thief must have walked upstairs and worked undisturbed on the two top floors.