Armed bank robberies on the rise

Shoppers at a busy mall were yesterday caught up in the latest in an increasing string of bank robberies that has led to calls for greater security measures.

The recession is being blamed for a surge in brazen and violent armed robberies, the latest two of which occurred at an ASB bank in Auckland's St Lukes Mall yesterday and at an ASB in Blockhouse Bay on Friday.

Avondale CIB Detective sergeant Jason McIntosh said a man in his late-teens or early 20s queued with customers when the bank in the mall opened at 9am yesterday.

"He indicated to the teller that he had a gun and asked for money. No one besides the teller knew the bank was being held up," says McIntosh. The man escaped with $3300.

The Blockhouse Bay bank robber was a heavily disguised man who brandished a sawn-off shotgun.

The man, said to be in his late-30s, waved the gun at three bank tellers. He made off with around $10,000, and tried to snatch a woman's purse as he fled from the scene.

The unknown passerby, in her 50s, refused to relinquish the purse despite the man's shotgun.

McIntosh said the number of robberies was unusually high. He was concerned the offender would strike again.

"He was in and out of the bank within 20 seconds. He just pointed the gun at the tellers and said 'give me the money, give me the money'."

The man's face was well hidden behind a mask. "Clearly this was a brazen attack. We are concerned he may strike again. He appeared to be well organised."

Bank statistics show Auckland is the centre of the crime wave - usually 64 per cent of robberies happen in the city but that figure has leapt this year to 87 per cent.

In the Auckland policing suburb of Avondale, the ASB St Lukes hold-up took to five the number of bank robberies in the past 10 days. It is the second bank in the mall to be robbed in two weeks.

BNZ security strategy spokesman Owen Loeffellechner said there were only about 20 bank robberies a year between 2000 and 2006. Last year there were 58 and this year there have already been about 25 hold-ups.

Use of weapons had increased by 6 per cent since last year.

Bank workers' union Finsec spokesman Andrew Campbell said there was a heightened awareness and growing concern among banking staff over robberies.

Campbell said Finsec planned to talk to all major banks this week to ensure security measures were increased to protect their members.

Campbell has spoken to staff who have been traumatised by hold-ups. "I've spoken to staff who physically could not continue to work in the same branch because of the negative association with the crime.

"This can be an incredibly significant event for people. It is a terrifying occurrence which requires a significant degree of support to get back on the frontline.

"My understanding is their tends to be an increase in robberies during tougher economic times. It would be interesting to see, when these people are caught, how much the recession contributed to their committing the crime."

ASB chief executive of retail banking Ian Park said staff had been offered counselling after yesterday's St Lukes robbery.

"There seems to be a spate of bank robberies across the industry. We will be reviewing branch security."

Westpac spokesman Craig Dowling said security advisers had told him a number of the robberies may be linked to the same individuals.

"This is certainly concerning for staff. We are taking this seriously. We do not want staff and customers confronted this way."

Kiwi Bank spokesman Bruce Thompson said he knew of three Post Shops robbed in the past fortnight, including one where a screwdriver was used.

"There's been a growing number. It is worrying and very frightening for staff. It's perhaps a sign of the times."