Members of the Screwdriver Gang robbed banks and lived the high-life just like in the movie Point Break.
And as in the film, gang members hung out at beaches during their four-week spree of raids in Auckland.
Such were the similarities that Detective Sergeant Craig Turley, the officer in charge of tracking down the robbers, codenamed the case Operation Point Break.
Three members of the gang will be sentenced in August after being convicted this week of involvement in the robberies. Another is already in jail.
A High Court jury in Auckland found John Koteka, aged 22, of no fixed address, guilty on four counts of bank robbery.
Elder Browne, 23, of Otara, was found guilty on five charges.
The two were charged with robbing the National Bank in Parnell, the Avondale BNZ, the Te Atatu South ASB, the Pakuranga BNZ and the Milford ASB in December 1999 and January last year. More than $140,000 was stolen.
Browne was also convicted on three counts of unlawfully taking cars to be used as getaway vehicles, and Koteka on one such charge.
During the trial Paul Hemana Tipene, aged 22, of Manurewa, pleaded guilty to robbing the Avondale BNZ and was discharged by Justice John Laurenson on three other charges of bank robbery and two of taking vehicles to be used in the raids.
Joseph Balle is in jail after admitting his part in robbing the Avondale bank.
The jury found Chrissina Anne Andrews, 19, of Howick, not guilty of helping the gang avoid arrest.
The robbers were dubbed the Screwdriver Gang because in all but one raid they carried screwdrivers.
Detective Constable Paul Hayden said that while the gang did not have guns, bank staff and customers were to this day traumatised by the raids.
Some were distressed and tearful while giving evidence or soon after, and some bank staff had given up their jobs.
Detective Constable Hayden said the gang gained a notoriety while on the run that they appeared to enjoy.
Police talked to friends and associates of the prime suspects, then reluctantly gave names to the media.
Detectives learned the cellphone numbers of gang members but when phoned they were "not overly responsive."
Auckland lawyer Christopher Comeskey spoke to them, but the gang members still did not give themselves up and had to be captured by police.
Detective Constable Hayden said the robbers had a certain bravado initially, but when police warned that the gang might have access to guns, they changed their tune and said police were going to shoot them.
"They were giving this as reasons for not handing themselves in."
Tipene phoned the Herald saying they wanted to surrender but feared they would be shot.
Detective Constable Hayden said some officers were armed during property searches but it was ludicrous to suggest they would shoot the gang members.
Detective Sergeant Turley said police believed the gang members were on their way to rob the Mt Eden ASB when they were caught on February 3 last year.
Bank raiders mirror movie
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