Cuckfield: a series of robberies

A number of robberies have been committed here during the past few days, which may be partly accounted for by the number of tramps that have been lurking about the neighbourhood. The other day some one helped themselves to four or five pairs of stockings which were hung out to dry, not far from Hayward’s Heath, and at the same time a neighbouring cottager had her clothes line stolen.

On Sunday morning some pilfering rascal stole into the house of a poor man, carter to Mr MacAdam, while he was absent at the stable, and cleared the contents of that cupboard, taking all the eatables, and the meat intended for Sunday’s dinner.

On Tuesday evening, a more daring robbery took place. This time at the house of Mr Kenward, grocer. It. seems that the shop had been left for a few minutes, and during this time some one entered, leant over the counter, and took out £3 in gold, and a cheque for £6, the payment of which has been subsequently stopped.

On Thursday morning Mr Turner's carter, of Balcombe, left the house for the stable at half-past five, his master was down quite by six, but in the interval some one slipped in and stole a quantity of wearing apparel from the hall. A few days ago, one of these rascals stole the dinners of the carter and his mate from the stable while they were at the plough. These have all got clear off, despite the efforts of the police.

On Wednesday, a lad was detected in the act of stealing a chain from a waggon, at Lindfield, and was handed over to be dealt with by the magistrates.

Sussex Advertiser, Tuesday 20 December 1864

Public domain photograph, source Wikimedia.

Contributed by Malcolm Davison.