SCIENTIFIC BURGLARS AND THE POLICE.

Waikato Times, Volume V, Issue 290, 21 March 1874, Page 2

SCIENTIFIC BURGLARS AND THE POLICE.

A series of interesting experiments, with burglars' tool* were made at Birmingham under official authority, in the presence of Mr G. G-lossop, chief of police, and several manufacturer*, merchants, and scientific gentlemen Within the last few weeks numerous iron safei and strong boxes have been broken into in the neighbourhood of Birmingham and rifled of their valuable contents, which in some instances amounted to several tbows»nd pounds. From the clever way in which this work was performed the detectives conclude that there is scarcely a successful gang of safe breakers in the Midlands which does not include a practical safe maker. It has been found possible in the case of eafeehitherto deemed impregnable to penetrate even the steel plates with whioh many modern sales are fitted, the burglar using for his implements of attack anun.ber of hardened steel drills. Many of the safes lately opened lmve been mbjected to violence of this kind, the result being a lock could be readily removed when the drill had gone several times though the plate in its immediate vicinity. The experimental tosts on Saturday took placo at the Apollo Works, when a new invention, introduced by MrGreering, the principal partner, was tried. It consists in the arrangement at the back of tho door and in front of the lock, or at any other required part, of a series of cylindrical steel rods or bars, which are carried by bearers in which they are capable of freely rotating. The rods are placed side by side, and as near together as is compatible with their perfect freedom of motion. A dozen and a half of hardened steel drills driven by steam power with t pressure of about half a ton were employed to penetrate the iron and steel plates. On the too) coming in contact with the revolving bars, however, it made no impression on thorn. There wai no " bite " for the drill 011 tin steel rod, but instead there was a sound of the " clicking " of the rods quite loud enough to give any alarm. This noise is caused by the rotatory motion of the rods, which, on pressure from tho drill, turn on their axis and movo from under tho tool, thus preventing the drill having a bearing upon them. The experiments were of the severest kind, a^.d in nearly every instance the steel dr.U ■a •» broken when it canje in contact with the rsVoJvbg rods.