EXTENSIVE BURGLARIES. A Desperate Encounter.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 282, 18 July 1888, Page 4

EXTENSIVE BURGLARIES. A Desperate Encounter.

Skvkkyjl, cxbensive burglaries (says the ' News ") iiavc taken place in Sydney and suburbs during the past few days. One of the victims to the skilful practices of what appears to be a gang of well rehearsed thieves, is Mr Joseph Smith, of 79, Crownstreet, Surrey HilLs. On Friday evening last, while the occupants, were absent from home, the house was broken into, and articles ot jewellery to the value ot £40 were extracted irom a drawer in an upslairs room. The fcheffc was committed at about 7 o'clock in the evening, when a suspicious-looking character was observed by a next-door neighbour, Mr George Hunt, to be pacing the footway immediately in front of thepremises referred to, with the object, doubtless, of preventing his companions who were within from any interruptions they might be subjected to. Hunt approached the man, and, after exchanging a few words with him, turned to go away, but in doing so he noticed the door oi Smith's house wide open. Being aware of the occupant'B absence, and suspecting .something wrong, he entered the building, with a view of satisfying himself thafc nothing w:i« amiss. He had no sooner done so, however, than he was set upon by two men, and leceived a severe handling. Handicapped nb he undoubtedly wan, he managed to seize his assailants by the throats, and had it not been for the timely interference of the man on guard lie would, raott assuredly, have .succeeded in detaining thorn until assistance had arrived.