Jammed Safe Door Thwarts Intruders

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 868, 11 January 1930, Page 13

Jammed Safe Door Thwarts Intruders

CHARGE TOO HEAVY FLYING STEEL SPLINTERS Burglars used high explosive ineffectually on the office safe in the premises of R. W. Gallaugher, Limited, grocery and provision merchants. of Victoria Street West, early this morning. TOO heavy a charge was apparently used on the massive safe, for, when the police investigated on discovering that a door to the building on the Graham Street corner had been forced open, they found the safe door had been jammed by the explosion. So heavy was the charge used that portions of the metal from the safe struck the office door, fully 15 feet from the safe. One piece of metal pierced the door, making a splintered hole nearly an inch long. To enter the building, the intruders forced three locks on the outer door. Money was patently sought, for there was no attempt to remove provisions and goods from the store, or articles from the office. The attempted burglary is believed to have taken place at about 3 a.m. The intruders apparently had a good knowledge of the building, for the safe was in an out-of-the-way position. KNEW THE OFFICE A passage from the forced door led round a corner to the office. Here the safe was placed under a desk, which was beneath a window in Voctoria Street West. Members of the firm are inclined to the view that the intruders were acquainted with the office, for the indications were that they went directly to the safe. Papers in the office were used as padding round the safe to muffle the explosion. The locality is well patrolled by police and the intruders apparently left the building immediately on discovering that the safe door was jammed. All they left behind was a fuse.