CHRISTCHURCH.

Thames Star, Volume xii, Issue 3852, 4 May 1881, Page 2

CHRISTCHURCH.

m :,-■'■•■ s day. The most dariug and successful burglary yet taken place in Christchurch was perpetrated on Monday uight at the establishment «>f C. hooper, watchmaker and jeweller. The circumstances, relative to which careful intjniry has been made, appear to be as follows :—Yesterday mora"2* at about 8 °'cock Hooper came «wn to open his shop and found the *Ss?P?ne^ The side door leading into a fcifeftt'of w«y had eyidentiy been bitrst open by the application of strong force trom the outside. Ob,, entering the a'nop Hooper^found that the greater portion of hw stock of watcK« .nd jewdTeiy had been takeaaiwy. The lock of tUeaecret ah? rt°L from! lw «>»ok room td the ■top bad been J^ken off with a screw h«*? r or,**^««»dthe chiaei tbat bad bf» U8e 4 d fof/he purpose was picked up on-the top t of the »t&. The Safe itielf was nntondied. The slides separating the window from the shop had been opened and all the'articles of value in the window removed. The,preinises bear signg o f having been thorooghly raufacked. The thieves had ftfidoatlj been disturbed in their work* as a number of artjclt-s of jewellerr, watch •hams, lockets, etc., were found^laped in a piece of paper on the cduuter. ft is supposed the thjeves wpre collectiujj thesp

together w |, en they were disturbed, cooper locked the shop, and left everyotir 8fr CUre and the Jeweller who works SmM* i s. p came down shortly after frmn w°? k ' and found «* door leading gom : ;,nto the right of way open. £!« u°P ght tbat Perhaps Hooper had oeen before him, and left the door open, •M | consequently went up stairs to work without taking any further notice, n-ooper s loss is very ; heavy—at a rough guess orer £600—as he had received a large number of diamond rings and loclrets, as well as other valuable articles, a tew days ago.., The police were at once communicated *itb, and are now making efforts tp trace the perpetrators of the robbery. The totalisator case was dismissed, lhe prosecutiou gave notice of appeal.