Man arrested over bank robbery and bomb scare

A 27-year-old man handed himself in to police this morning and has been charged in connection with the robbery of a Whangarei ANZ Bank branch last month.

He has also been charged over last month's bomb scare at Tikipunga High School and will appear in Whangarei District Court today, when the exact charges will be known.

Police said a man entered the bank in Rathbone St shortly before midday on October 28 and handed the teller a note saying he did not want to hurt anyone and to hand over cash.

Money was given to him and he left the bank in a taxi with a woman.

Police said at the time it was possible that the bomb hoax at the high school on the other side of town may have been a diversion to lure police away from the bank.

- NZPA