SENSATIONAL DIAMOND ROBBERIES.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 2623, 4 May 1889, Page 2 (Supplement)

SENSATIONAL DIAMOND ROBBERIES.

The recent captures made by the police ' seemed to have acted merely as a tempo- i rary check to the exploits of the more daring members of the criminal class. The conviction of the notorious " Spud Murphy" gang had scarcely been recorded before the series ef suburban burglaries broke out again with a vigor that so far has baffled all the efforts of the detectires specially detailed for the work. On Tuesday, April 2nd, proof was given that criminals of a still more dangerous class had entered the field. Ib the space of four hours two successful robberies of jewellery, exactly akin in detail, were committed on tradesmen Jin the city and suburbs. In each ease the offender simply entered the shop as a customer, asked to inspect some rings, and then made o£F with the jewellery. In the second robbery a 'convicting proof was given that confederates were ready to render assistance if required, and the only possible conclusion is that the affair was the work of an organised gang of criminals, and carried out in pursuance of a concerted plan, all the details of which had been carefully thought out beforehand. The first robbery was apparently unimportant in character. During the forenoon, a Mr Jeremiah Wilson, carrying on business as a jeweller at 103 Gertrudestreet, Fitzroy, was visited by a young man, tall, well dressed, and of gentlemanly appearance, who asked to be shown some diamond rings. No suspicion was entertained, and three rings, valued respectively at £13, £14, and £15, were produced, and subjected to miuute criticism by the customer, who was not satisfied without carefully noting their appearauce when placed on his finper. After some little conversation the visitor went to tho door in order to display the rings to a friend for whom he was making the purchase, and once outside the shop, made off at top speed. Mr Wilson lost no time in taking up the pursuit, but by the time that he got to the door the thief had disappeared, and not caring to leave his shop unprotected, he had perforce to content himself with reporting the robbery to the Fitzroy police. Late in tho evening the thieveß assayed a more daring fight. At about 7.15 a young man, answering in every particular to the description furnished by Mr Wilson, callcd at the shop of Messrs Wenzel and Eues, jewellers, Bourkeatreet east, and expressed a wish to examine a diamond ring valued at £60. which was displayed iu tho window. Mr Wenzel was the sole person in the shop at tho time, and deceived by the visitor's appearance had no hesitation, not only in producing the ring specially asked for, but in placing tho whole tray containing 17 rings, valued at between £700 and £800, on tho counter. The customer was not easily satisfied. Firßt, he made an effort to beat down the price of tbe first ring ; theu he examined successively the rings ou the tray, explaining that he was going to make a present to his " dear papa," and that as he had not too much money to spare he was anxious to make the best possible bargain. Finally, after some minutes spent parleying, he snatched tho tray which Mr Wenzel only held loosely, and made off with the wholo of the rings. Mr Weuzel ran to the door, but was met outside by a number of young men who called out in excited tones that tbe thief had gone up Russellstreet. The jeweller accordingly ran in that direction, but needless to say without finding any trace of the thief. There can be no possible doubt that the men were acling in co operation with the robber, and that had the fir*t attempt been frustrated the gang were ready to resort to more desperate measures. The second robbery was reported to the detective poliee, who hold to the opinion that both thefts were the work of the samo gang. Detectives Considine and Burvett have been placed in charge of tho case ; but so far nothing has been discovered to fix the identity of tho criminal.