New-York tribune., 1921-06-16
Silk Gangs Get
$5O,OOO,OOO i'm
Loot i'm Year
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had unexpectedly come upon tho ssene
of tho hold-up.
Insured for $4,000
One of the six bandits WIS seen with
the stolen truck between Allentown
and Bethlehem, Pa, Tuesday afternoon
about the time the authorities Of Sus-
sex County learned OF tho crime. The
binding and gagging of Charles Maines,
driver OF the truck, and Claude Kesh,
his helper, in the mire Of Cats Swamp
permitted the thieves to get sixty
mile start. Maines and Resh still are
at the hands of the, robbers.
The stolen truck had yellow chassis
and green body. 1t was laden with
1877 packages Of merchandise, mostly
silk piece goods, and was insured for
$4,000 through Jones g. Whitlock, of
this city. agents for the Globe and
Rutgers Company. On Monday the Sus-
sex Print Company dispatched a ship
ment to this city valued at $50. 900.
Harry 7. Rounds, president, and Her
bert Bentley, secretary Of the COM
pany, were in conference in this city
yesterday with their insurance agents.
A year ago they. suffered the loss Of a
truckload of merchandise valued at
$55, 900
Thieves Well Organized
In exposing activities OF truck rob-
bers and receivers Mr.. Becker said:
"There is no doubt that there exists
we'll organized gangs Of thieves who
work in conjunction with those who
knowingly distribute stolen property
l,l tA Is syo n & q
avenues of information, rs to the move
ment Of valuable shipments. They al
ways select an appropriate time and
place and usually make their attacks
from automobiles. In some cases two
of the robbers will take the driver
away in ali automobile while others
make off with the truck to some ar
ranged rendezvous, where the goods are
concealed for time. The stolen prop
erty then is moved on to so-called
merchants, who do business in this
city and Paterson. n. j., where stuff
is even disposed Of on the streets.
There is no doubt that the venders
are aware they are handling stolen
property, as they sell silks, furs and
other merchandise at fraction Of the
real value.
81 would say that conservative es-
innate of The value of merchandise and
trucks stolen in year within 200 miles
of New York would be S50,000,000. In
New York it is not rare thing Tor
truckload Of merchandise worth $50,
600 to disappear as completely as If IT
had been dumped into the river
Receivers Have Agencies
eve have learned that receivers OF
stolen merchandise here have connec-
t;ons in all parts of the country, in
c,uding Roston, Cleveland, Detroit, Nor.
! folk and Augusta, Ga. They are well
supplied with money for bail purposes
! il an arrest is made, and often poo
! their interests for purchase when s
particularly big haul is made. The rob
! berv Tuesday attracted attention be-
cause it involved r. murder Perhap:
| this will result in more determined
effort to break up the traffic"
Announcement that the insurance In
| torests and shippers were preparing II
! take matters in their own hands wa:
made by Mr. Cunningham.
"Unless something is done to put
stop to these increasing thefts Of mer
cnandise, it will be impossible for in
surance companies to accept risks n
said. ut has become necessary for u
to take steps for our protection, ant
it is now proposed that we establish
police service on the road out Of Nev
York to Philadelphia. State and loca
police have done their best to preven
these crimes, but in most cases with
out success. 1t is planned to NOV
trucks in armed convoy. The plan call
for telephone stations covering ever
five or ten miles, 80 that if convo,
fails to appear at the scheduled tim
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