Daylight Robbery

By Malcolm John Baker

There is a series of robberies in mansions all over the country. All the victims are jewelers who cannot admit to having been burgled. Our illustrious FBI informants John Smith and Jack King are on the trail once again as the sources of the silence are revealed and explained by many intrigues and adventures

• Language: English
• Publisher: Malcolm John Baker Publishing Company
• Release date: Jul 4, 2020
• ISBN: 9781951933692

Malcolm John Baker

Malcolm John Baker was born in Salisbury, England, in 1945. By trade, he was a chartered surveyor and practised in South London, England. Now retired, he lives in the United States in Florida.

Book preview

Copyright © 2020 by Malcolm John Baker.

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted, downloaded, distributed, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, including photocopying and recording, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented without permission in writing from the publisher.

Contents

PART ONE

Chapter One

PART TWO

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Prologue

PART ONE

Chapter One

On the corner of the block, in the Manhattan diamond district of New York, stood the impressive Diamond Safe Deposit Company building. It’s Fort Knox appearance with the stone fronted fascia and return frontage. On the upper floors were the offices and workshops of the diamond merchants and manufacturers of fine jewelry. In the basement were the safe deposit boxes of those merchants, to secure their valuables at the end of the day.

Adjoining the building at the front and to the left was an empty office building. The ‘To Let’ board outside told prospective tenants it was available to rent. The name of the realtor, Rus Blockenthorpe was on the top line. Randy Blue was standing at the front of the building taking it all in. Randy was a man of forty-one, he was always well dressed, and attractive to women. He prided himself on his skin complexion and good looks.

He took his cell phone out of his pocket and dialed the realtor. The phone was a throwaway that he had just purchased. Hello, Rus my name is Edward Jones. I am interested in leasing the vacant building next to the Diamond Safe Depository. The one to let in the diamond district. Randy said giving a false name.

Yes sir, I can show it to you right now if you wish, are you near the property? I could be with you in ten minutes. Said the realtor.

The realtor was anxious to lease this property; it had been available for many months now. His client was becoming very exasperated with his inactivity. He knew his client was considering changing realtors.

"Thank you; I’ll see you in ten minutes then. Said Randy.

The realtor arrived on time. Having greeted each other, the realtor went to the front door. He was one of those people who you would lose in a crowd. He dressed as though he had just got out of bed. His hair could do with a good wash and brush up. No wonder this chap hadn’t let the building thought Randy. The realtor’s phone rang as he moved forward.

Do you mind if I answer this, it is an important call? he said looking at the number on the phone Not at all, said Randy stepping back, so as not to appear to be listening. The call was very short, and the realtor put has the phone back in his coat pocket. It was a chilly day which needed a coat in New York. They had given snow for later in the day.

The realtor went back to the front door putting the key in the lock. Randy noted it was a Yale kind of key. Just one lock? Randy asked questioningly.

Yes sir, the building is empty, and it’s been that way for many months now, even the burglar alarm isn’t on. I don’t want to be called out in the night for a false alarm, Do I? he said realizing he’d said too much and moved on.

As they walked in through the door, Randy stopped inside to allow the realtor to go past. In doing so, Randy picked the phone out of his pocket, a very handy trick. Randy had learned that, in his misspent youth, many years ago. He discretely laid the phone on the floor behind him.

Randy viewed the whole building which was on three floors plus the basement. The only part Randy was interested in, was the basement. The realtor confessed that the basement was unusable as it is damp.

Thanks for that, but we won’t be using the basement lied Randy.

They ended up in the front office, which like every room was empty. There was a large mantel over, what would have been a fireplace in the olden days. The realtor put his papers down on the mantelpiece together with the key to the building. He fumbled in his pocket looking for his phone. A nervous habit he had, but it was not there. Oh shit, I’ve lost my phone, the realtor said.

Well, you had it before we came in because it rang. You must have dropped it while we were looking around, said Randy.

Oh yes, I remember now, do you mind if I shoot around and look for it? said the realtor.

Not at all, that will give me a few moments to collect my thoughts about the offices. They seem very suitable, said Randy.

The realtor left the room. Randy immediately picked up the key to the front door from the Mantel. He pressed it into a Play Doe mold that he had in his pocket. He did that for both sides of the key, cleaning it and putting it back on the mantel. Randy thought that Play Doe is a very handy material, considering it’s a child’s toy. Five minutes later the realtor was back in the room holding his phone, saying he found it by the front door.

That’s good, well done, said Randy condescendingly. Adding Well I’ve been thinking about this place, and it’s ideal for what I want. I have two more to look at later and will make a decision at the weekend. There was a long weekend holiday coming up, which suited Randy’s purpose.

The realtor always liked these weekends as they gave him an extra day to play with his kids. Manhattan closed on such weekends from about 3 pm. on Friday. However, there was some minor activity on Saturday morning. The realtor showed Randy out, they shook hands and parted. Randy said, I’ll be in touch after the weekend.

Randy went to his specialist locksmith; whose shop was around the corner. The locksmith was not too worried about doing unprofessional things for extra cash, and he knew Randy. I need a key made from this mold, said Randy, handing him the Play Doe mold.

No problem, it will be ready in two hours. Said the locksmith.

Randy left, going back in two hours time, he then had the key to enter the building. It cost him three hundred dollars, but was well worth it; he had expected more.

Randy had rented a detached house in a very secluded area of countryside, which was surrounded by trees. It was about a thirty-mile drive outside of New York City, ideal for his needs. No one could see him there.

He had arranged with five extra crooks to be at the house on the Saturday at 3 pm. He had dealt with them before and knew he could trust them. They must come in their cars, one of which they will drive to Manhatten. The other four would be left hidden behind the house.

On Wednesday afternoon, there was a knock on his front door. Standing there was a full-bodied woman of about forty, she had very attractive short blond hair. She was wearing a tight low fitting white blouse, which showed off her bust line she said I’m Jose married to Rod. He was due to come with you on Saturday, but I’m afraid he’s fallen and broken his leg.

Damn, said Randy Oh I hope he is alright not caring one way or the other.

He’ll be fine, silly bugger, but of course he can’t come on Saturday. I’ll do it in his place if you like. I’m very strong, here feel this. She said raising her arm and clenching her fist, encouraging him to feel her biceps.

Randy squeezed, he liked a strong woman, particularly when she had such a good bust line. But now is not the right time. Okay, said Randy. You’ll do fine, be here at 3 pm. Saturday. She left with a smile.

He had arranged signwriting of a white van, to say on the sides, ‘Builders, any job considered’ together with an obsolete phone number. Randy had purchased the old van yesterday. His plan was all coming together nicely now. He spent the rest of the week collecting all the equipment he needed.

Three Kango hammers, a small generator, various electric drills and other tools. Randy went into the Safe Deposit Bank on Thursday afternoon. He went down into the basement where the boxes were situated, carrying a large suitcase.

He arranged with the receptionist to rent one box, giving the name of Edward Jones. Having paid the rent money in cash, the receptionist showed him into the safe room. She opened his safe and gave him the key; she retained the other key needed to open the box. That was the custom, the second key was held by the bank.

She left him at that point, he then opened his suitcase and took out two electric drills. He placed them inside the deposit box. He kept the third one in the case.

He had a good look around the room while he was there, getting a feel for how the operation might go. It looked straight forward once they were inside the room. Getting into this room would be the tricky part. After five minutes the receptionist appeared at the door. She had wondered what was keeping Edward Jones, why was he taking so long? Randy met her in the doorway, not wanting her to see too much.

Thank you. He said to her and left the bank.

Saturday afternoon came around slowly, a watched kettle never boils! At three o’clock all four men and the woman arrived at the house. They decided which car they would use together with the van, that meant four would go in the car and two in the van. They all knew their roles, and they set off for the hours’ drive to Manhattan.

When they arrived, it was six o’clock due to the unexpected traffic. That suited fine because the streets around Manhattan were now deserted. The weekend had kicked in properly.

The car was parked across the road and served as a lookout car. They parked the van outside the empty office block. Randy, now used his proper name, went to the front door. The key worked perfectly; he expected nothing less. The door opened, and they all carried their tools into the building. Shutting the front door as soon as possible, just in case.

They took the tools down to the basement and set things up; they filled the generator with fuel. The electricity in the building was totally disconnected. Randy had worked out roughly where he needed to drill through the wall.

He was somewhat concerned as to vibration which would be caused by the drills. He knew the police had a routine to check the exterior of the safe deposit company. Randy had spent two nights on the exterior of the building in a car. He was checking the number of police patrols. Both nights there were three. Hence the lookout across the road, who was connected by cell phone to them in the basement.

Randy phoned the lookout to check all was clear at street level. He said to leave the phone open."

Okay, all clear, said the lookout.

Don’t forget to call, if you see anyone walking on the sidewalks. We’ll stop drilling; we have plenty of time over the next two days so let’s use it. Said Randy.

Okay gang let’s get to it, said Randy.

They started two of the Kangos; the third was a backup in case one broke down. They drilled the wall between them and the Safe Deposit Company. The first part was easy, the original brick wall their side, simply crumbled down. Stage two was not so easy; they had to drill through the concrete, that had been installed by the bank to keep out people like Randy.

They were making slow progress when there was a phone call from the lookout. A police car has just pulled up, said the lookout. He then sank low in the car, so as not to be seen, it was now 11 pm. The area was dark and deserted.

One police officer, the driver stayed in the car. The other got out with his flashlight; he was shining his light in the windows, scanning every room. He walked down the side of the building before realizing that all was well at the depository. He saw the white builders van parked next door. An empty building, that’s strange he thought over a holiday weekend. Maybe a new tenant would be working tomorrow morning.

He went up to the van, shone his flashlight inside all looked normal. It was empty. He still thought it was strange for builders to leave their van outside a job, all over the weekend. He shone his flashlight in the front door and windows of the office building, but saw nothing, and went back to his car.

Better make a note of the number of that van parked there for the record. Oh, and don’t forget the phone number on the side. The officer