"SAFE CRACKERS FOILED AS FUSE FAILED TO WORK," Toronto Star. July 3, 1934. Page 19. --- Attempted to Gain Access to $5,000 in Gold in Refining Firm Safes ---- TOOLS LEFT BEHIND ---- Safe crackers made a determined but unsuccessful attempt to blow up two safes weighing four tons, and three tons each, containing $5,000 worth of gold, silver and platinum and $200 in cash in the office of the Imperial Refining Co., 36 Beverley St. The attempt was discovered to-day by Sidney Bromwich, manager, when he entered the office with his son. Indication that it was the work of expert cracksmen was made clear as one safe had been drilled and set up with a four-foot cord fuse which was inserted in the top of the safe and soaped open. The combination had been knocked off the safe.
The fuse had burned away at the bottom and did not go off. Whether the inner door was filled with nitroglycerine was to be determined by experts from the Taylor Safe Co.
The combination was smashed off a double door on the other safe and was found on the floor. Thieves left a bag of tools behind them, including three sledge hammers, a screw driver and a huge steel drill. There was no indication they had been using the electric light to drill the safe.
It is believed they entered the premises through a washroom window in the rear of the building.
The safe expert was to decide whether it would be wise for him to attempt to open it.
"We don't want any of our men to take any chances on blowing up the house and getting himself killed," E. H. Richards of the Taylor Co.. told The Star. "We will have an expert look it over. If he thinks it is dangerous we will have to get an explosive expert to handle it. We open all kinds of safes for people, even ones that have been partly dynamited. But if the charge is still in this one we will have to be careful."
Thieves broke into the United Cigar store, Spadina Ave. and King St., during the night, carrying away a baby safe and getting a large sum of money. This was the fifth time this store had been robbed of a safe in the past four years. The safe contained $130 in cash.