New theory on robbery beneath the lighthouse

New theory on robbery beneath the lighthouse

18 July 2012 - by Ciara Colhoun

A LOCAL lighthouse keeper is hoping his own amateur detective work may help lead to the arrest of burglars who stole his lifesavings and several guns when they broke into his home two years ago.

Mr. Henry Henvey believes he may have uncovered vital clues about the actions of the burglars, who broke into his lighthouse keeper’s cottage at St. John’s Point on August 21, 2010.

He admits he and his wife Mary, who are both in their late 70s, have struggled to relax in their home since the burglary and will only find peace again when those responsible are apprehended.

He said he was therefore delighted when a few weeks ago he uncovered the rusty remains of one of his stolen guns while collecting whelks at low tide.

As an expert in local tides and the undercurrent along the shore, Mr. Henvey believes the discovery will give police an important lead in their enquiry, which he hopes will be reignited as a result.

After handing over the gun to police, he said he is hopeful a deeper investigation into the crime will now begin.

With over 60 years of experience fishing the local coast, Mr. Henvey says he now believes the burglars, who may be known to him, carried out their crime by accessing his house from the sea.

He says the movement of the tides at the time of the break-in, which happened while he was out with his wife, indicate that the criminals discarded the weapon to the north of the area where it was discovered, giving police an important indicator of the direction from which they came.

“I know the behaviour of the tides very well, and conscious of the tidal underflow along this shore, thought that, if the missing guncase or gun had been discarded by the robber or robbers at sea, evidence might eventually come ashore,” he said.

“So it proved to be and in my opinion the wooden stock of the shotgun gave it enough buoyancy to allow it to be carried along on seabed currents.

“I do not think the shotgun could have been discarded in the sea from the land, since it was high tide at the time of the robbery, and the gun could not have been thrown far out to sea from the land.

“On the date and time of the robbery I recall that it was high water, affording easy access to the lighthouse boat landing jetty, a movement that would not be observed from the land unless a viewer was actually outside the lighthouse premises.

“I have formed the opinion that the gun has been discarded at sea somewhere north of its discovery site, and had been carried down the coast and to land but the undertow I know exists in the area.”

Mr. Henvey said he did not expect the stolen money to ever be returned, but said he had renewed hope the culprits may one day be apprehended.

“I hope the police authorities will take more interest in the case because it seems to have gone cold,” he said.

“This has affected both of us with Mary waking during the night afraid there is somebody in the house, while I am very wary of cars coming down at night.

“I would like this to be brought to a conclusion because until it is these boys are out there and likely to be preying on some other vulnerable person. They seem to be up for anything.”