AUDACIOUS DIAMOND ROBBERY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1047, 23 December 1882, Page 1

AUDACIOUS DIAMOND ROBBERY.

A diamond robbery, so adroitly conceived and audaciously carried cut that it is impossible to avoid admiring the misplaced talents of the thief, was perpetrated recently upon one of the largest wholesale jewellers in London. The robber, who got himself up to look like the trusted shopman of a metropolitan tradesmen, commenced operations by driving up in a hansom to the private door of Messrs Hancocks, the famous goldsmiths, &e., in Bond-street. IntroiTucTng himself to the head of the firm as an assistant of Mr George Attenborough (a well-known jeweller in the Strand), he reminded Mr Hancock that his principal (Attenborough) was opening a new shop opposite the theatres, and added that they required some handsome diamond ornaments for the windows. Mr Attenborough does not unusually deal with Mr Hancock, and the latter therefore told the thief he thought his principal must be making some mistake ; probably he meant to have told him to go to the Messrs Welby. Mr Thief readily seized the cue, and after apologising for misapprehension, departed for Messrs Welby, armed with one of Hancocks businesscards. ' Messrs Welby received my gentleman courteously, but, like Mr Hancock, felt uneasily conscious something was wrong, ' You are not one of the Attenborough assistants,' quoth Mr Welby. ' Great heavens !' retorted the injured thief : ' I have served George twelve j'ears.' ' Very well, then,' said Welby : ' I'll give you the ornaments, only one ol my assistants must accompany you home.' This was a critical moment for the thief, but he never blanched, merely saying ' Of course.' J The ornaments (about £SOO worth) were then selected and placed in a black hag, Welby's assistant taking charge of them, and driving off Mr Thief. In due course the hansom reached Attenborough's and the thief got out, saying, ' You wait in the cab with the jewels, whilst I see if the boss is in,' Me entered the shop, and by-and-bye-hastening out, minm his hat. observed, ' The customers are now bore : give me the bug.' The assistant unsuspiciously handed over the bag, and the thief again entered the shop. Welby's assislant then looked in at the door, and seeing Mr Thief talking to Attenborongh with out his hut and behind the counter, uuidc sure all was fight, and went home to tell his masters so. Meanwhile an amusing scene transpired | within. Mr Attenborough thus de- I scribes it. He says—' At one o'clock ! on Thursday afternoon a respectably ; dressed stranger drove in a hansom and entered my shop, saying ' 1 < xpect to meet Mr Black, of f luiburyh, here at one o'clock, lias he been yet?' 1 replied • No ;' moreover I didn't know him (the speaker) and had never lizard of Black. ' Pooh,' quoth the stranger, ' Black will be here directly ; meanwhile I'll run out and letch my bag.' He dub

so, leaving his list on the counter, and presently returned bearing a small blackbag. We then entered into a conversation, during which the stranger, who bad laid his hat on a chair, made an excuse to get behind the counter. Presently he said he was afraid his friend could not be coming, and taking up the black bag went out." Prom that time to this Mr Thief has not been seen or heard of and I think it will be admitted he was wonderfully audacious;'""'HacT'lVelDy's" assistant by any chance entered the shop nothing could have saved him ; in fact, from the moment the wholesale jeweller proposed sen-ling someone back with him his liberty literally hung on a thread. The robbery was not found out for three days, when Attcuborough, sending a bona fide assistant to Welby's, learnt the history of the previous Thursday's