JEWEL THEFT CREATES PROBLEMS FOR HELMS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00001R000400390070-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 11, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 2, 1999
• Sequence Number: 70
• Publication Date: August 2, 1966
• Content Type: NSPR

Approved For Rela/2811
AUGUST 2, 1966
LIA ENT tKtu rIVME C YRGHT
' Jewel - Theft- Creat S Continued From Page One
Tofte's study, they found CIA matter to the police because
c
WASHINGTON, D.C: - The theft of more than $20,000
i jewels from the home of a high ranking officer of he
ntral Intelligence Agency (CIA) is creating major pr b-
1 s for CIA Director Richard Helms.
Hans V. Tofte, 55, former Mason City, Iowa, busin s-
an, now a CIA officer, has reported to police the th ft
o $20,000 In.diamonds and sapphires from his home n
J 1y23or24.
Tofte and hid wife, Marlys, formerly of Anoka, MI .,
told an insurance invests a-
tor that Mrs. Tofte's - jaw is
were stolen during the s e
period that CIA security f-
ficers were in their home at
1667 Thirty Fifth . Stre t,
N.W., Washington, D.C., n
a security check Involvi g
CIA papers that Tofte h d
taken home.
"It had been taken there
by me for the purpose f
homework," Tofte report
to police. "This is customary
for executives and senior
personnel In key positions,
as well as employes of cer-
tain ranks and responsibili-
ties."
TWO' ? CA A investigators,
posing as a -man and woman
j trying to rent or buy a home,
entered the Tofte home on
July 23, while he and his wife
were away. They persuaded
Mrs. Charlotte Leister, moth.
er-in-law of Tofte, to permit
them to look around.
On the third floor, in
Theft '
Continued on Page Nine
papers. of CIA implications.
the material in question was
removed from my premises
under agency (CIA) supervi-
"Both Mrs. Tofte and I were
temporarily absent. The ma-
terial was being guarded by
my mother-in-law. Personnel
,unknown to me at the ? time
of this writing entered my
home, managed to distract
the attention of my mother-
In-law, and roamed the house
for a period of time. No war-
rant or other official. identi-
fication was displayed at the
time."
"I found later that the CIA
material, some private and
personal property, and Mrs.
Tofte's valuable jewelry were
missing from the premises,"
Tofte stated.
BEFORE Tofte had re-
turned home to learn that
the CIA documents and jew-
elry were missing,. he was
investigators and was es-
corted to the CIA headquar-
ters at Langley, Va., for ex-
tensive questioning '-of a
group of investigators under
the supervision of a "Mr.
Hank Shor" who was not
further identified.
"I requested to see my
chief supervisor, Mr. Tracy
Barnes, and later the agen-
cy's legal counsel Mr. Law-
rence Houston in view of the
bizarre circumstances sur-
,rounding the proceedings,"
Tofte told police. -
Although Tofte w a s a
$25,000-a-year officer with a
close personal relationship
with Helms, Barnes,, and
Houston, he was unable to
see Barnes or Houston for
several days during which he
was questioned, repeatedly.
He saw Barnes on Thurs-
day, July 28, for a brief noon
meeting and was permitted
to consult with Houston in
the late afternoon of Friday,
July 29.
it is reported that Tofte
has learned the Identity of
the-CIA security officers who
were in his home, and has
insurance investigators.
Tofte, born In Denmark,
was a member of the Danish
underground, worked with
British commandos, and after
a tour in the United States
Army in an Office of Stra-
tegic Services obtained U.S.
citizenship in 1943.
Tofte was a key figure in
the planning and staging of
the successful CIA opera-
tions in Guatemala. He took,
part in the planning and ar-
rangements for the Bay of
Pigs, but was one of those
who was vocal in warning
against It In-the light of what
he considered poor prepara-
tions and morale of Cuban
refugee groups who were to
take part. .
TOFTE HAS
formed by his superiors that
there was no evidence that
he had "compromised" any
of the CIA papers in his
possession. However, he has
been informed that. having
classified agency papers in
his home represented a vio-
lation of agency rules that
could be grounds for dis-
charge.
Tofte has Indicated he in-
tends to fight any discharge
effort, and he has also
served notice that he wants
"the best insurance investi-
gators in the busJness" to
trace down the -.$20,000 in
jewelry.
The $20,000 in jewelry is
reported to be a part of
about , $100,000 in, jewelry
Mrs. -Tofte owns. It is in.
sured for $25,000 ."because
that is about all she wears or
has out. st any one time."
TOFTE WAS reported by
friends to be "outraged" at
the fact that the CIA had In-
vaded his home and had be-
lieved that h
Approved For Release 1999/09/17: CIA_ RQBV6vQ41Q 1! %@VD 070-5
Problems for Helm
CPYRGHTBy CLARK MOLLENHOFF
Theft