Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-03-17
SAFE BLOWERS AT WORK
Robbery of Post Office and Jewelry Store at
Falls Church.
Burglars Take Only the Best of What
They Ffnd-Loss About
$3.50.

The post office at Falls Church, Va, and
the jewery store of V. V. Terrett, located
in an adjoining room of the same building
were burgiariZed about $50 O'Clock this
| morning. The aggregate loss, which falls
almost altogether upon Mr.. Terrett, is
about $3.50. The postmaster had taken the
precaution to remove his cash and stamps
from the office the previous evening, and
therefore suffered but slight loss.
Entrance to the building was effected
about the time the storm of this morning
commenced, and the jewelry safe was
blown open when the lightning was play
ing most fercely, which prevented the noise
of the explosive from being heard. An en-
trance to the building was effected by Dor
ing a hole through tire door and pushing
the keeper back. Postmaster Croker dis
covered the robbery shortly after 6 o'clock
this morning. Every drawer in the office
was opened. but only 81 in money and few
stamps were secured from the post Office
The robbers next blew open the safe of
Jeweler TeTrett, after forcing the inner
door leading to his store. Although they
took everything in sight, they were very
choice in the matter of what they wanted
to keep. A. the blacksmith shop, where
they obtained the tools for opening the
store door, We're found all of the contents
OF the safe. except four gold watches, three
silver watches, some. jewelry and some old
coins. Fifteen Or twenty silver watches
ana some cheap jewelry were left in the
blacksmith shop
1t is generally thought the burglary was
committed by two parties recently seen to
act in suspicious manner in the neighbor-
hood of Falls Church.
The tools for operating on the safe were
secured from the blacksmith shop of Mr.
T. X. Merry, which was broken into for
this purpose.
Parties in the Of +ba etora
heard the explosion when the safe was
blCWn open, but as the storm was then
raging the noise was attributed to thunder
The Police Notified.
Early this morning information of the
robbery was received at police headquar-
ters by Inspector Mattingly.
About year ago Mr. Browns store in
the same neighborhood was entered and
robbed in the same way. On that occa-
son the side of the building was blown
out, and damage to the amount of several
hundred dollars was caused in addition to
the theft of about s70O.
Inspector Mattingly has given the safe
blowing in Virginia some attention during
OF such jobs reported from there Four
have occurred during the past week, Ash
land, Hampton, Brook Neal and Fails
Church being the places visited.
II mas been learned that TWO gangs. OF
safe blowers have been operating in the old
dominion, one being composed, it is stated,
of men who frequent the gambling places
at Jackson City. These crimes in Virginia
commenced many miles from here and re-
ports indicated that they were gradually
making their way toward this city. At
three of the places the burglars attacked
post Offices At the Ashland post office
their coming was anticipated, and only
few stamps were found in the safe.
Now that the safe blowers have operated
so near the city the police think it would
be well for merchants and others to take
what precautions they can to have their
safes protected. Today the members of
in the matter, looking for the safe blow
ers, and the inspectors of the Post Office
Department were also engaged in the same
line.