The Sun.
London, England, 1827-08-30 00:00:00

STATE OF THE POLICE OF THE CITY.

Notwithstanding all the noise that is made
the city, ware-
-
when a burglary is committed
houses continue to be plundered there, and
plundered under such circumstances, as prove that
if the syttlyvi of prevention be not in-:proved,
there will be by aria by no security at ail for
property, even when locked up in houses situate
in the iiidat public thoroughfares. Between seve'
o'clock on Saturday evening last, and seven on
Monday morning, the premises of Mr. Wel-
berry, Mt T. Wilkinson, -and Mr. Feaver, at
No. 129, Wootl,street, Cheapside, were broken
into and robbed of cloth, lace, and silk, to the
value of tip Wards of 1,2001. The premises con-
sist of three difier' -art warehouses, but are in one.
building, and within a few doors of Cheapside.
The street-door had been locked, and must have
been opened with a skeleton-key, as the lock
was not in the slightest degree injured. Great
violence had been used to break open the door
of Mr. Dickinson's premises. The three ware-
houses were completely cleared out, and the
thieves must have contrived and carried into
execution the robbery with the greatest possible
skill, n there is not a being in the neighbour-
hood who can testify as to one suspicious circum-
stance having occurred within the period described.
Watchmen are upon occnions of the kind ge-
nerally condemned. Certain it is that they often
wink at and participate in plunder. The
watchmen who watched the imme,:liate neigh-
bourhood where the burglary was committed, all
swear that they were awake on their posils, and
that while they were on duty, " all was
One of the principal officers of the police has,
however, learned, that an experienced thief, who
generally deals in silk goods, declared, in refer-
ence to the burglary, that " all was right," as
the stuff had been prigged. The gentlemen who
have sustained this heavy loss 4, immediately upon
discovering the robbery, offered a reward of 501.
for such information as wouid lead to the con-
viction of the offender or offenders, and recovery
of the property. They have since, by the advice
of Mr. nobler, jun., who is engaged in the in-
vestigation now going on upon the subject,
offered 100/. An examinatiL.n of the watch--
men took place yesterday before Mr. Alderman
11 nsley, at which Mr. Hobler and Mr. Cope
attended, but nothing was stated which was cal-
culated to throw any suspicion upon the guar-
dians of the night, who patroled the neighbour-
hood and cried the hour with their accustomed
zeal and vigilance. It is fortunate for the citi-
zens, that there is a likelihood of a speedy
change in the mode of watching. The sub-
committee appointed to draw up a report have
concluded their labours ; and the report, wh;eli
enumerates the projected improvements, has been
agreed to in the committee, and will be pre-
sented at the next Court of Common Council.
It is founded more especially upon the following
evidence :

MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN =FORE THE N+GIITLY•-

WATCH- S ÜB-COMPif ITT Er

Mr. Nevil Brown, Upper Marsha), examined.—lf
the men are out all night, they cannot properly do
the duty : a relief of two hours out and two in is
the best. Six hours successive duty is too much,
particularly in bad weather ; but better men would
be got if the watch was changed in two divisions,
as at Islington. The duty is more effectually done
by changing stations, particularly in public thorough-
fares : there arc more men employed than are neces-
sary; they should be better men, and paid more.—
Robberies are committed in the absence of watch-
men between the patrol going off and the watch
coming on, and also after the watch leave in the
morning. 'One or two men in each ward might
patrol; a quarter of the watchmen in each ward
would be sufficient for this : they should come on
earlier and stay later; watch-boxes are an evil; the
men get in and do not patrol as they ought. There
should be an evening and morning patrol. The men
get acquainted with the women of the town, the
market people, and others, by not being changed ;
they get drinking with prostitutes and others. No
doubt they are lured off by women to
give thieves
opportunities during their absence : this practice is
facilitated by a watchman being always in we street.
They are employed in shutting up shops, wi.Aich is
objectionable. •
Mr. William Wadham Cope, Under Marshal, ex,
amined—l am of opinion that in changing the watch
some evil may arise, as they know the fastenings ;
but their being too long in one situation is a greater
evil. I think it desirable to have them changed as
patrols are in all the wards. They should not be too
long on one station. If thieves know a watchman
at a particular station, they may tamper with him;
the preferable plan is to change them. I do. not
think the watch come on soon enough ; from half-
past eight to 'ten in the evening warehouses are shut
up, the watch is not on duty, and thieves are about;
they should go off their duty later • robberies are
committed after the watch leave; they should stay
till eight in the morning, unless another arrange-
ment is made with the day police. The present
number of evening patrols is not sufficient; as many
men are requisite from five to nine as from nine till
morning. It is desirable there should be relief.—
The watch could be inspected better if a regular sys-
tem was adopted throughout the city. The pqlice
should report the absence of the watch to the de-
puty ; the watch should be two hours out acid one
hour in. _ _ _

Mr. John Cowtan, inspector cf the day patrol,
examined.—My hours of duty are from nine in the
morning till eight in the Lvenirig. I have noticed
watchmen sleeping in some wards where there are
watchboxes, and in others on steps. Some of the
wards are well watched; in others, half the men are
asleep.—(Here there was much laughter in the
Committee.)—l think it better to change the watch-
men weekly. They know the fastenings; and should
be changed so as not to get acquainted with the
servants. They ought not to shut up shops. In
wards where they do riot change, and are out all
night, they become acquainted with the waterinen
attending hackney coaches. In some wards the
patrols come on early, in others not. If the day
patrol were not required to sign the book after dusk,
they could better look after boys and men water-
ing carts. There should be an alteration in the_
Morning; they should be continued till seven, that
would prevent many robberies : they now go off
hen the watch-
en committed.
Te
ohfrieLyet,
sare a
are then committed.
The police officers know the thieves. It would be
beneficial for the watchmen to come on duty earlier.
Mr. William Merchant, inspector of 'the night
patrol, examined.—I am of opinion that watchmen
should be relieved every two hours; there should be
relief. In the wards where the men are out all
night, they are sleeping either in door-ways or
watch-boxes. Robberies are mostly committed after
and robberies rothbebe look
-out w
the watch leave in the morning : some depredations
are committed in the evening. If active young men
were employed, a less number would do : their pay
is not enough. They should be removed from their
beats once in two or three nights, and it should be
uncertain where they are to go. The women' know
the men when they are not relieved.
1 he improvements suggested by this testimony
will, no doubt, be unanimously adopted in the
Court of Common Council, as they have, been
in the Committee. • ..