From the Kentish Gazette, 21 October 1845.

An Extensive Robbery at Rochester.

On Wednesday morning, the 15th inst., two young men of the Jewish persuasion, brothers, named Lewis Aarons and Barnett Aarons, were brought up from the station-house to the Guildhall, and placed before the Mayor, Edmund Burk, Esq., and Edward Wickham Esq., on suspicion of being concerned in the following extensive robbery:—

It appears that the two prisoners travel about the country with jewels, and arrived at Rochester on Monday last, taking up their abode at Mrs. Ward's, in the High-street, the sign of the "Three Postboys," where they slept that night. The next day both prisoners were in and out of the house frequently, and went up and down stairs to their room, as the landlady knew they had property there. About six o'clock in the evening, Harriet Watts, niece to the landlady, went to her aunt's bed-room, and changed her dress. Both prisoners were up stairs at that time, and on her return to the bar, about half an hour afterwards, she bethought herself that she had left the key in the bed-room door, and on going to it she found the key out, and the door fastened. She returned and made inquiries about it, and went up stairs again, when she found the bed-room door open and the key lying on the floor, and the things in the room all strewed about, and a drawer of a chest opened, and some of its contents thrown on the bed. She immediately called her aunt, when it was discovered that a mahogany cash-box, containing gold and Bank of England notes, to the amount of £200, had been stolen, also a silver watch, and a green velvet purse, containing one £5 Bank of England note, and two £5 Rochester notes, also two or three loose sovereigns, and two boxes containing silver and copper money. The prisoners were taken on Tuesday, night about twelve o'clock by Mr. Tuff, superintendent of police. The prisoners gave their address Brick-street, Whitechapel; and at the request of the superintendent, the prisoners were remanded. The above examination produced considerable interest, and the hall was crowded.

From the Kentish Gazette, 28 October 1845.

The Late Robbery at Rochester.

On Saturday, Lewis Aaron and Barnett Aaron were again placed at the bar. They were professionally assisted by Mr. Pelham, of Arbour-square, Commercial-road. Mrs. Ward was again examined, as were also Harriet Watts, the barmaid, Mary Kennarp, the servant, Alexander Beattie, a lodger, George William Burge, a neighbour, and Tuff, the superintendent of police. A searching investigation took place, which occupied the court upwards of two hours, but as there was not a tittle of evidence to affect the prisoners criminally, Mr. Pelham submitted that they ought to be immediately released. The court were of the same opinion, and they were released accordingly. The circumstance which led to the suspicion against them, was their occupying a room on the same floor with Mrs. Ward’s, which they had engaged the day before, and being frequently in and out the house during the time; but according to the evidence of Beattie, upon hearing of the robbery, they expressed great concern and sympathy for Mrs. Ward's loss, and although they were residing in the house, when taken, made no attempt to escape.

From the South Eastern Gazette, Tuesday 14 April, 1846.

ATTEMPT AT ROBBERY.

On Tuesday evening last, it appeared that some suspicious looking men were at Mrs. Ward's the "Three Post Boys" public house, Rochester, and some neighbours warned Mrs. Ward of their suspicions that they were London thieves. Between six and seven o'clock in the evening two of these fellows succeeded in drawing Mrs. Ward's attention to some conversation, when she accidentally heard something moving upstairs. She hastened to her bedroom, and there discovered the door had been broken open and a man was inside. The thief, to prevent being taken jumped out of the window into the back yard and escaped, as also his companions below. It was thought that the man had broken his leg in jumping from the window, and he called out, and the others came to his assistance. It will be in the recollection of Mrs. Ward was once robbed of nearly £300 from the same rooms, and the thieves on that occasion escaped from the same window. There can be no doubt that they belong to the same gang.