VICIOUS ATTACK

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 September 1941, Page 5

VICIOUS ATTACK

MADE BY THIEVES FACTORY MANAGER BADLY INJURED. SAFE ROBBERY AT NEWMARKET. IBv Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND. September 29. Viciously attacked by one of three mon whom he surprised while they were rifling the safe of a clothing factory in Nuffield Street, Newmarket, yesterday afternoon, Mr Eric Lloyd Riley, the factory manager, aged 31, of 24 Inverness Avenue. Mount Roskill, suffered severe head injuries and was admitted to the Auckland Hospital in a serious condition. Mr Riley's wife and child, aged four, who accompanied him. witnessed his struggle with the men. who escaped before the arrival of the police in response to a frantic telephone call from Mrs Riley. It was later discovered that about £lOO in cash was missing from the safe. When admitted to hospital Mr Riley was in a semi-conscious condition suffering from a deep wound in the scalp and concussion, and an operation had to be performed. His condition later was stated to be serious. Shortly after 4 p.m. Mr Riley called at the factory of E. L. Riley, Limited, to secure the safe door, which he had remembered had inadvertently --.been left open. The three men had apparently made their entry only a short time previously and were leaving the office when accosted by Mr Riley. A struggle ensued as he endeavoured * to apprehend one of the men and as it was proceeding Mrs Riley hurriedly called the central police station on the office telephone. A call was passed to the Newmarket Station and when a constable arrived there was no sign of the intruders and Mr Riley was in a stunned condition. A special car with three detectives was dispatched to the scene and a search was immediately instituted. No weapon of a nature likely to Inflict the injury was found by the police. A small window at the back of the factory had been opened for an entry by the removal of the glass louvres. : Apparently the intruders —.u made use iof a disused motor-bus parked in the 1 lane at the back of the factory to 1 reach the window, which was in the staff dressing-room. As far as could be ascertained none of the stock was missing. An accurate check on the amount of money missing will not be possible till the staff report on the position. — ' THREE SUSPECTS ARRESTED. [LARGE SUM OF MONEY MISSING. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND. September 29. A bloodstained claw hammer which is believed to have been used in the attack on Mr E. L. Riley on Sunday afternoon, was found by the police near the scene of the struggle. Detectives also recovered a bank bag containing £5O in the factory, but more than £lOO is still missing, and small sums also were found to have been taken from two other offices in the same building. Mr Riley's condition tonight was still serious. As a result of extensive inquiries by a large number of detectives, three suspects were arrested late today. Two of the suspects are juveniles.