WELLINGTON BURGLARS.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 June 1916, Page 5

WELLINGTON BURGLARS.

DAYLIGHT ROBBERIES RESUMED. A few months ago severa yeoole in Wellington :uffered as a icsiur. of daylight burglaries, all evidently tlie work of one man »' party About ten or a dozen place; were visited, whilst the occupants were out, and money and jewellery (for the most part) rewarded ')he enterprising burglar whose methods were clever enough to evade capture by the police (says the Dominion). Evidently the burglar has a leaning towards those holding official positions, because during the week there lias been a recrudescence of iayligbt burglaries, and among the houses entered was that of the Hon. J G. W, Aitkcn, M.L.C. (chairman of the Education Board), in Levy street Whilst the house was without an the burglar entered through a back window, and, without making any fuss, or disturbing things, went methodically through the place. and succeeded in picking up here and there about £2O worth of jewellery, mostly the property of Miss Mary Aitken (Mr. Aitken's niece) Most of this Miss Aitkcn had taken the precaution to conceal under some folded clothes at the bottom of a wardrobe, but the thief discovered the plant and made away with it. This was 011 Tuesday afternoon. On Monday afternoon, the same (or lie )3 supposed by the police to be the same) marauder entered the iionie of Mrs. Peters, in Hawker street, whilst she and her daughter were in town. It was another ase of entrance by the back window. This window, the bottom .part of which had never been opened during Mrs. Peters' tenancy until prised oper by the burglar, was found open when Mrs. Peters returned, ind at once the suspicion flashed across her mind that someone had been there wiho had no business tc be. in immediate search proved this to be the case. From one drawer a gold watch and gold bangle, belonging to Mise Peters, were found to be missing. But the burglar "mist have been disturbed, because in the next drawer was another <*old watch, two pendants in cases, and a chain, which the thief could not possibly have missed lia<l he opened the drawer. Tt k stated iliat other places have also been visited during the last day or two, so it is advisable that people in the habit of leaving their house unguarded should know that they take a risk hy leaving their valuables lying around. The perpetratoi of these burglaries works pretty safe lines. It is assumed that (lie watches a place for a day or two until, he gets to know its regular occupants, then waits for a chance when they are all out. Finally he probably knocks at the door (preferably a side door) to make :ure that no one is in, and then, having made certain tihat the coast is clear, he gets to work—always or nearly always—at the rea.r o\ the Jiouse, out of sight of neighbors.