Mail robbery. North mail attacked and robbed near Houndsfields

Yesterday Morning about Four o'Clock the Post-Boy driving the Mail Carriage with the North-Road Mails from this Office, was attacked and robbed by two Men on Foot near Houndsfields, about Seven Miles and an Half from London on the Road to Endfield, who presented a Pistol to the Boy, and ordered him to drive into an inclosed Field some Distance from the Road, where after binding his Hands and Legs, and leaving him about Thirty Yards from the Carriage, they cut and broke open the Roof of it, and stole thereout the whole North Mail except the St. Ives Bag; and in the Afternoon the greater Part of the Bags were found unopened in a Ditch not far from the Place where the Robbery was committed, and were immediately forwarded from hence by Express, but the following Bags are still missing, viz.

The Persons who committed this Robbery are described to be, one of them a middle-aged Man about five Feet seven or eight Inches high, wore his Hat flapped all round, and had on a light-coloured Great Coat; the other middle-aged also, about five Feet six or seven Inches high, wore a cocked Hat, and a blue Great Coat.

Whoever shall apprehend and convict, or cause to be apprehended and convicted, both or either of the Persons who committed this Robbery, will be intitled to a Reward of TWO HUNDRED POUNDS, over and above the Reward given by Act of Parliament for apprehending of Highwaymen: Or if any Person, whether an Accomplice in the said Robbery, or knowing thereof, shall make Discovery whereby both or either of the Persons who committed the same may be apprehended and brought to Justice, such Discoverer will, upon Conviction of both or either of the Persons, be intitled to the same Reward of TWO HUNDRED POUNDS, and will also receive his Majesty's most gracious Pardon.

ANTHONY TODD, Secretary.