Police investigate bomb hoax and robbery link

Police are investigating whether a Whangarei bank robbery was linked to a bomb hoax at a city school yesterday.

Police evacuated up to 600 students from Tikipunga High School and an attached kindergarten after the police communications centre was told about 10.50am three bombs had been planted on the property.

Within the hour, after police had rushed north to Tikipunga, a man robbed the ANZ bank on Rathbone St.

The offender was described as a male Maori with scruffy facial hair, wearing a black cap, and a white/gray hoodie with the words "Lowrider" across the chest.