CINEMA HOLD-UP

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22774, 7 July 1937, Page 16

CINEMA HOLD-UP

MASKED MAN WITH GUN AUDIENCE IN PURSUIT [from our own correspondent] SYDNEY, July 2 An audience at a cinema theatre at Thirlmere, about 40 miles south of Sydney, rushed from their seats during the screening of a "G-man" picture to chase an armed and masked bandit who held up the box-office cashier. The bandit ran away empty-handed with the audience in full pursuit. "A tall man walked into the vestibule at 8.20 p.m. when I was at the Window of the box-office," said Miss Elsie Cash, cashier at the theatre, which is owned by her mother. "I took no particular notice of him, and it was only when he was standing at the box that I was horrified to see he was wearing a black "'mask and goggles, and carrying a gun.

"For a moment I thought it was a joke, but he clicked the revolver and menaced me with it. All I could think of was the till. I grabbed'a bundle of notes, pulled the drawer of the till out and jumped for the door leading into the theatre, screaming for help. As I rushed into the dark theatre where the pictures were showing, the / man smashed the box-office window behind and grabbed a roll of tickets." In the operating box, Mr. Pay Walker heard the scream of the girl and the breaking of glass. Opening the window of the box, on the first floor, lie looked down and saw a man dash out of the vestibule and run off in the direction of the bush. In a flash, Mr. Walker climbed to the sill, jumped 15 feet to the ground, and set off after the bandit.

Mr. Walker had gone no more than a few yards when the door of the theatre burst open and the audience streamed out to join the chase. The bandit had a good start. "I must have been within about 30 yards of him when I tiipped and fell over a log in a paddock," said Mr. Walker. "When next I looked up he had disappeared in the darkness. Wo all searched for him but without result." . The police later searched for the man in vain.