The Topeka state journal., 1909-03-29
POLICE JOTTINCS.
Topeka Dentists the Victims OF
Sneak Thieves.
Offices RifIed and Much Gold
Is Secured.

The wave of crime seems to have
again changed it's course and now rolls
across the state in the shape of dental
shop burglars wiping out all bits of
gold and platinum whether in the form
of foil, sponge, pin, or bridge. Seven
offices in Wichita, four in Hutchinson
and five in Topeka is conservative ac-
count. and numerous robberies in small
er towns are reported to have taken
place in the last month which tends
toward the supposition that the same
man or men are doing the whole job.
Topeka is the last, Five offices were
entered Saturday night. Some discov-
cries were made Sunday by the dentists
visiting their offices but not until today
were all reports in. The parlors of Lyon
& Heatherly at 511, F. DeObert at sos.
f. E. Carpenter at 625, c. E. Heer at 2SS,
F. A. Rooster at 81S, all on Kansas av-
enue were the unfortunate ones.
The aggregate accumulation made in
these offices amounts to about $3.50,
which constitutes very good haul for a
nights work. The largest sum was Sc
cured at Lyon & Heatherly's where $75
III gold ard platinum was taken from
a cabinet after forcing it Open At the
office of DR.. DeObert. the Oldest estab-
lished dentist in the city and who takes
little concern about hiding his gold
there were no marks of entrance or Wis
1tatton until the examination was made
upon suggestion of Jeweler Wardin who
asked him with the morning greetings
if he had also been touched. An exam
ination of the cabinet showed two bot
ties of gold emptied and a set of solid
silver knives and forks gone, which he
had intended as a present to his wife
and worth $24. In the laboratory small
box which had contained gold was
cleaned out, a quantity of teeth had
been stripped from cards for the pla-
tinum pins and a pile of scrap plates
and teeth had been taken for the same
purpose A few old bridges were also
taken but several new ones overlooked,
though the robber did take a new bridge
which the dentist expressed sorrow for
on account of the pain poor woman
will have to undergo TO have it remod-
eled. The aggregate theft here would
be probably $50, but in the hurry to
leave or in their juggling around the
gold, the robber left few small pieces
because DR.. DeObert claimed it as none
of his. The Office had been entered with
key and nothing was marred or dis
tUrbed except the gold.
Dr. Carpenter lost about $40 worth
of gold. DR.. Heer about the same.
Entering the parlors of DR.. F. A.
Rooster at S18 the robbers apparently
again simply unlocked the door. In
side there is partition to seclude the
work room 1t extends as high as a
man can reach and a sofa sets at the
base of it. The thief did not try to
opent the door of the room at all for
finger marks at the top of the partition
show clearly that he or they, climbed
over the top by means of the sofa.
Once inside every place possible and
impossible was gone through. About
$40 worth of gold was taken and it
was found in the most unlikely of
places-fn a little tin box in the bot |
tom of the work bench where a lathe
and tools were kept. DR.. Koester. like
others suspected nothing upon entering
his office. and not until friend called !
up later to ask did he learn that he |
had been robbed. This is the third |
time the place has been robbed and an
agent was trying his best to sell the |
doctor a safe all last week.
The offices were all entered by |
means of a key. All the doors have |