A BOLD THEFT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 273, 15 May 1912, Page 5

A BOLD THEFT

ROBBERY BY 'PHONE. HOW AX AUCKLAND. JEWELLER WAS VICTIMISED. By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, Monday. An audacious robbery was brought off this afternoon by means pf a trick played upon an unsuspecting jeweller's assistant. The perpetrator of the fraud netted four diamond rings worth in all nearly. £SO. At 3.15 p.m. the manager of Jas. Pascoe's jewellery establishment in Karangahape road answered a call to the telephone. Speaking in a nicely modulated voice, the caller said: "this is Mr. Nathan speaking. As I want to make a present to a young lady who has been very kind to me I shall be glad if you will send some diamond rings round to my residence in Karangahape road for me to select from." The speaker also said he had a marble clock which required attention, and that the messenger bringing the rings could take the clock, back to the shop. Knowing that some years ago, when employed by another jeweller, Mr. Pascoe used to attend to Mr. Nathan's clocks, the manager took four likely rings out of stock and entrusted them to Wright, a watchmaker employed on the premises, to take to Mr. David Nathan's house, "St. Kivins," Karangahape road, for a selection to be made.

On arrival at the gate of "St. Kivins" Wright met a man carrying an overcoat over his arm. The stranger said: "You are from Pascoe's, and you have a small parcel for me. I am Mr. Nathan." Satisfied from his manner "as to the man's bona fides, Wright had no hesitation in handing over the parcel of rings. The stranger, upon receiving them, said: "That will be all right. I will choose one, and send the others back." He added that the clock which required repairing was down at the warehouse (presumably L. D. Nathan and Co.'s), and that he would send for it and send it along to Mr. Pascoe later on. The messenger returned to the shop, leaving the stranger—and the diamond rings—at the gate of Mr. Nathan's residence. When Wright reached the shop and it was ascertained from him what had occurred, suspicions were aroused. Mr. David Nathan was immediately rung up, and he denied all knowledge of the telephone message. It was then clear that the whole thing was a ruse to fraudulently .obtain possession of as many rings as the jeweller might feel disposed to send along.