Derbyshire Advertiser and Journal - 18 September 1846

AUDACIOUS ROBBERY. — As Mr. Chadfield, farmer, of Shirley Common, was returning home from our fair on Monday night, he was accosted, when walking up the hill on the Derby road, by a tall woman, or, as there is some reason to suppose, a man dressed in women's clothes. She very freely offered to see Mr. Chadfield safe home, but met with a rough repulse for her proffered kindness. All at once Mr. C. found himself seized round the waist by the lady: the next moment she was off at full speed, suspecting something wrong, Mr. Chadfield examined his pockets, when lo! his money, amounting to £19 in notes, gold and silver, had disappeared. The supposed woman was immediately joined by two men, and they were seen to make off together in the direction of the Old Derby road. The police were on the alert within 10 minutes of the robbery, but as the affair had doubtless been well planned, and the night being dark, they got clean away.