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Past crime rate soars

Richard Swainson

Notwithstanding lockdowns, Hamilton in 2021 has suffered a spate of burglaries, largely untroubled by police intervention.

So it was back in 1926, when the town’s crime rate attracted national attention.

Towards the end of January of that year Victor Edgar’s Fancy Good’s Shop, at 62 Victoria St, was deprived of two suitcases, some watches, a tea set or two, sundry clocks, razors and a pair of binoculars.

In the dock, Charles Henry Whitehead proved a most co-operative witness, explaining how he was recently unemployed and new to Hamilton when ‘‘a small jewellery shop attracted his attention and walking down an alleyway he found he could obtain an easy entrance’’.

At the beginning of February, a ‘‘grocery and general provision business’’ in Whatawhata, was broken into early on a Saturday morning.

The enterprising thief used an ‘‘old car spring’’ to force open the front door, abandoning the tool at the scene of the crime.

His ‘‘booty’’, the Waikato Times reported, consisted of ‘‘ . . . a bag of sugar, preserved fruits, sardines and several bottles of cordial’’.

In April it proved fourth time unlucky for the Ford Sales Garage in Garden Pl, when thieves, who had attempted to burglar the premises on three earlier occasions, perfected their technique.

Bolts were forced off the double lock on the front door, then access obtained to the inner office, despite further fortification. Cash and automotive parts were stolen. Authorities suspected an inside job. The crime spree peaked in June, with no less than six businesses burgled in a week, including three in Frankton’s Commerce St.

Mayor J. R. Fow himself suffered the indignity of victimhood, when his Collingwood St jewellery business was deprived of a watch and a gold bracelet and the office ransacked.

The thieves ‘‘made a daring but nevertheless crude and unsuccessful attempt’’ on the business’ safe.

Mr Morrow’s Frankton butchery was entered after the wire gauze panels on the front door were cut, ‘‘the opening being large enough for a man to crawl through to the inside’’.

The effort only afforded ‘‘a few pence’’ but when the gang ‘‘. . . decamped . . . they took with them a leg of mutton’’.

History

en-nz

2021-09-25T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-09-25T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://fairfaxmedia.pressreader.com/article/281895891390015

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