Break-Ins at McLean Grocery Store and Jennings Mill Store, Oct. 20, 1924

Lumberton Is Experiencing an Epidemic of Thievery. . . McLean Wholesale Grocery Store Entered Last Night—Robbers Were Bold While Robbing Jennings Cotton Mill Store Friday Night—Things to Wear, Smoke and Drink Are Missing. . . No Arrests Have Been Made

Thieves last night broke into the McLean Wholesale Grocery Company’s place of business on First street, and escaped with goods amounting to approximately $300. Thieves also broke into the Jennings Cotton Mill store Friday night and secured a good bit of merchandise. No arrests have been made.

Entrance to the McLean grocery building was made through a ventilator on top of the building. A rope was cut from a skidder used by the contracting company erecting the Planters Bank building, and tied to the ventilator, the thief letting himself down on the rope to the inside. A large amount of cigarettes, cigars, some overalls and extracts have been missed.

The robbery of the Jennings cotton mill store was bold, the robbers switching on the lights in the store after they gained admission by breaking the back door open. Shoes, hosiery and smaller articles are among the things found missing. After leaving the store, the lights were seen burning and an investigation was started, but no cue has been found.

From the front page of The Robesonian, Lumberton, N.C., Monday, Oct. 20, 1924

newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn84026483/1924-10-20/ed-1/seq-1/#words=OCTOBER+20%2C+1924