Smash Window And Steal $300 In Watches; Rings

Garages On Routes 1 and 128 Also Entered In Early Morning Breaks

In a bold night raid, thieves swooped down on a Guild street gift shop about 3 a.m. this morning, smashed a large plate glass window, scooped up a number of watches and rings valued at approximately $300, and made good their escape.

The thieves did not get away scot-free, however, as the broken glass, sidewalk, and window frame were splattered with blood from a badly cut arm or hand. Police have a piece of glass that they say has a first-class finger mark on it in blood.

The victim of the theft was Andy’s Card and Gift Shop at 10 Guild street, dealing in jewelry and gift articles and recently opened by Andrew Venskus of 47 Cedar street.

The break was discovered by Officers Edson Scholz and David DeCosta during their routine patrol of his business section. They had inspected the premises a short time previously and found everything in order.

Using a rock or some other object, the thieves smashed the window and reaching in from the sidewalk gathered up six watches and several rings. The main part of the store was not entered.

In spite of what must have been a resounding crash, no one seems to have heard the thieves at work.

With their loot, the thieves apparently made their escape in an automobile. Tracks of a car were found coming out of the Gjiild lot and these were traced for some distance northerly on Central street.

Mr. Venskus. proprietor of the store, said that only the most valuable articles were taken. Other items of lesser value in the window display were not touched, he said. Early estimates placed the loss at approximately S500. but a later inventory this forenoon brought the figure down to the vicinity of $250 to S300.

HIGHWAY BREAK

Thugs were also at work on the superhighway earlier this morning, entering Brown’s Garage on Route 1 at Pleasant street, but nothing was reported stolen. A new car was in the garage at the time, and this apparently was the object of the break, police said.

Officers Valentine Balutis and William Jankowski discovered the break at 4:10 a,m. The entrance had been gained by smashing the glass over the Jock of one of the overhead doors. A rear window was also discovered open, and outside on the ground was found an empty .45 caliber Army-type cartridge case. Police today were checking the premises for fingerprints.

In a similar break, belie, .id to be the work of the same yegg–, the Sunoco Service Station on Route 128, Westwood, opposite Swanson’s Garage, was entered but nothing was reported stolen. The break was discovered early this morning by Officer William E. Sheehan o: the Westwood Police Department who found the front door and a rear window open. Westwood police, who expressed the belief that the thieves were after money were checking for fingerprints today.