Old news from Armidale and New England

Monday 1 May 1933, The Sydney Morning Herald

ARMIDALE. Sunday.

Using mud from Dumaresq Creek and 50 pairs of blankets to deaden the sound, burglars last night, or early this morning, blew open a big safe at the premises of M. and M. Hanna, general merchants, in Beardy-street, Armidale. They escaped with more than £200 in notes and silver, and £37 in cheques.

Entrance was gained to the premises through a skylight, and the thieves let themselves down by a rope 25 feet in length.

One of the doors of the safe was blown completely off the hinges. Office books and records, which had also been stacked around the safe, were badly damaged.

During the past two or three weeks a number of robberies have been reported at Inverell, Glen Innes, and Grafton, and police believe that a gang of expert cracksmen is operating by car.

Most business places in Armidale arranged for banks to receive their takings on Saturday night, which is the late shopping night.