Robberies and Larcenies
Lady Webster’s Jewels. On Wednesday evening, Feb. 13th, a robbery took place at the residence of Lady Webster, 29 Warrior, when a portion of her ladyship’s jewels, valued at between £200 and £300, was mysteriously carried off. Access to the jewels (which were taken from her ladyship’s bed-room) was by means of keys, which the thief found in the same room. As soon as the robbery was made known at the police station, Supt. Glenister immediately telegraphed to London and to the principal railway and police stations, whilst locally the police force were actively employed in endeavouring to trace the missing property. A later search for the lost jewels showed that the missing articles were of the value of nearly £1,000, instead of the amount fist(sic) stated. A reward of £50 was offered for the apprehension of the thief or thieves, but during the following two months no clue had been obtained. From the first, however, suspicion rested upon someone connected with the family, and the suspicion never lost its hold.
A Daring Robbery was perpetrated on the evening of the 5th of December at one of the newly erected houses on the Marina by a man supposed to be a stranger, who had contrived to get in at the top of the house from an unfinished building adjoining thereto. After ransacking one of the rooms and securing some money besides several articles of value, the scamp was discovered by one of the domestics, who immediately gave an alarm, and an attempt was made on one of the lower storeys to waylay him. The thief was, however, too adroit to be thus caught, and having made his exit by the same way through which he entered, he effected his escape.
More “Picking and Stealing”. At about this time numerous robberies and larcenies were effected in the borough and its neighbourhood, notwithstanding the vigilance of Supt. Glenister and his police force, the most serious was on the night of Friday, Nov. 22nd, when the shops of Mr. Breach, fishmonger, and Mr. Morris, fruiterer, were entered, apparently by means of false keys and property stolen. From Mr. Breach’s desk was extracted nearly £25 in gold, silver and a bank-note, whilst from Mr. Morris’s premises were taken nearly £4, and a quantity of jewellery, pebbles, &c. The shops thus dealt with were 45 and 46 Robertson street. On the following night, an entrance was effected at Hollington church and the contents of the poor-box stolen. The churchwardens offered a reward of £5. A similar offence had been previously committed at All Saints church, and shortly afterwards there was burglarious entry of the mill at Ore. Also on Saturday night there were several cases of pocket-picking during the fair. Six suspected persons were secured by the police, but there was sufficient evidence to justify their detention.
