Raiders in double hit on banks

By SCOTT INGLIS

Security guards and a bank were robbed almost at the same time in Auckland yesterday - the second time in just over a week police have been faced with two raids at once.

In the first robbery, a man carrying a sawn-off shotgun robbed a bank on the North Shore.

About six minutes later, two men ambushed a security guard from behind and wrestled a booby-trapped money box from him outside a Mt Albert bank.

Police are trying to establish if there is any link between the robberies.

On Monday last week, police were stretched responding to the shotgun holdup of two security guards filling a money Machine in Pt Chevalier, and a man being smashed across the face with a firearm and robbed.

Later that day, in a third incident, a customer outside the ANZ Bank on the corner of Walls and Station Rds, Penrose, was hit on the head with a weapon - possibly a softball bat - and robbed of money.

In the first robbery yesterday, at 10.22 am, a man walked into the National Bank on Wairau Rd, produced a sawn-off shotgun from a shoulder bag and demanded money. The lone gunman fled a minute later, with an unknown amount of cash.

He ran outside, jumped down a steep drop, and ran past a number of industrial premises, across Target Rd towards Link Dr and the motorway, before vanishing.

The robber is described as possibly Maori but more likely Pacific Islander, in his early 20s, of solid build, 1.73m (5ft 8in), wearing blue jeans, white sand-shoes, light-coloured checked shirt and light coloured woollen hat.

Detective Senior Sergeant Mike Bush, head of the North Shore CIB, said the robber discarded his hat and shirt while fleeing.

He appealed for anyone who recognises the robber from the security pictures or who saw him to contact the police.

Six minutes later, two men attacked an Armourguard officer from behind after he had walked out of the Mt Albert ASB on New North Rd towards his van, where a colleague was waiting for him.

The robbers knocked the guard down and wrestled the money box from him. The guard is believed to have suffered minor injuries. No weapons were seen.

The pair fled with one, possibly two others, in a white Mazda Familia car, the number plate of which is believed to be NH2521. The stolen money box is programmed to throw out bright orange dye if tampered with.

Detective Sergeant Ken Danby, of Avondale CIB, said: "Chances are the car and/or its occupants have been covered in orange by now, so they'd be fairly obvious."

One robber is described as Maori or Pacific Islander, aged about 25, medium build, about 1.6m (5ft 2in), with wavy, medium-length hair and wearing a lime-green beanie.

The second is possibly caucasian, about 1.8m (5ft 9in), medium to solid build, with a green hood over his head. He had faded green sneakers with white sports socks.

The getaway car driver is thought to be a Pacific Islander in his 20s, of stocky build and with tight curly black hair in a medium-length afro style.

Anyone with information of the North Shore robbery should contact detectives Karl Read or James Bothamley at Takapuna police on (09) 488-6200. On the Mt Albert raid, ring Avondale police on (09) 820-5700.