Police are bewildered that no one tried to help a woman cleaner who had been bound and gagged in a Palmerston North bank foyer in full view of people passing by and using a money machine.
The 54-year-old woman is still recovering from the half-hour ordeal, much of
which was played out in public areas of the bank visible through the glass frontage on Friday night.
Police said security tapes from the National Bank branch on Broadway Ave revealed a disturbing and violent attack.
They released further details yesterday in the hope they would jog people's memories.
Police are still hunting for the attacker, believed to be a Maori with black, curly, collar-length hair and of slim build. He was wearing a black sweatshirt, black pants and a dark beanie with lighter stripes at the top.
The video footage shows the offender was in the bank between 8.05pm and 8.35pm and left through the front door on Broadway Ave, heading in the direction of Victoria Ave.
The cleaner was attacked from behind in the lobby of the bank after returning from her van parked nearby. She was bound and gagged as members of the public walked by and used the cash machine on Broadway Ave.
"This continued for five minutes before he dragged the victim into the main public area of the bank and later to the rear stairwell where she was further tied to the balustrading," Detective Dave Wishnowsky said.
The victim alerted the police on her cellphone after the attacker left. Police had to force their way into the building where they found her bound on the stairway and very distressed.
Police would like to talk to anyone who used the cash machine between 7.45pm and 8.45pm on Friday. They said employees of nearby businesses might also have seen something.
- NZPA
