EXTENSIVE JEWEL ROBBERY IN ENGLAND.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2493, 6 January 1887, Page 2

EXTENSIVE JEWEL ROBBERY IN ENGLAND.

On November 1 a burglary took place at Fairlawn, New-cross, the residence of Sheriff and Lieutenant Kirby, tho thieves getting away with between £I4OO and £ISOO worth of jewellery, Colonel and .Mrs Kirby were from home at the time, and there were only in the house the children and female servants, the men servants being in the stable awaiting the return of their master. An entrance was effected at the dressing-room window by means of a ladder taken from tho orchard, and the window was forced. After passing through that room, the drawers and wardrobes of which were turned out, the thieves bolted the door behind them, and also that of a bath-room leading on to a landing, to prevent any surprise. They next made their way into Colonel Kirby's bedroom, where they "broke open the jewel-case, and took the whole of the contents, consisting principally of Mrs Kirby's jewellery, and some war medals and decorations, valued at over £1,400 then, returning to the dressing room, they escaped by the window, passed down tho ladder, and got clear off with their booty,' Shortly after ten'o'clock a female servant had occasion to go to tbe bedroom, and finding she coultl not open tho' door, concluded the lock had been overshot, and sent to the stables for one of the men, who forced open the bath-room door, and got into tho bedroom. It was then found that tho jewel cases had been broken open, and the room was in confusion,