DARING BURGLARY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2073, 17 July 1890, Page 4

DARING BURGLARY.

One of the most daring robberies on a large scale took place in Auckland on Saturday afternoon, when the premises of Mr Howden, jeweller, in Queen street, were broken into and stripped of over £7OO worth ol jewellerv. Mr Howden closes on •Saturday at 3.80, without putting up the sbutters, and reopens at 6.30. McLean (the burglar), _ therefore, knew what time he had in which to operate. He got over the wall into; the court yard with a chisel, and prizing up the wood on the half glass back door, soon effected an entrance. He then removed, all the jewellerv from the shop casesj to the extent of £240 worth, tied it in a sheet, and put it in the yard ready for removal. He then went back and cleared the window of watches to the extent of £369 worth. The most amusing part of the business is that McLean removed them from the window m the deepening gloom, only relieved by a gas jet he had lighted in the shop, and in the back room he was seen doing so, but the passers-by pouring along thought it was one of Howden’s men putting the watches away in safes,.as , the early closing movement was on., Howden, returning, for once contrary to his usual custom, at a quarter tn six instead of half-past tix, upset McLean’s calculations. On calling at Gilbert’s, next door, that gentleman asked him if he had anybody wo iking inside. Howden replied in the negative, whereupon Gilbert retorted, “Then the rats have been going it inside.” Howden bn opening his shop door, espied a man getting up from behind the shop counter and making for the back room. He at once called out to Gilbert, “Rush to the back door.” Gilbert did so, pursued McLean up the yard, over a boundary wall, and after a hot run secured him in High street, when a scrimmage took place in the mud. Constable Young, who was in the police guardroom, heard outcries, and ran out and aided in securing McLean, and arrested him, McLean was committed for trial. The magistrate complimented Mr Gilbert, chemist, for the courage displayed by him in pursuing and capturing McLean. Remarkable correspondence was found on McLean to his “pal” in Sydney.