BIG BANK ROBBERY.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 188, 9 August 1924, Page 7

BIG BANK ROBBERY.

A TELLER ARRESTED. THAT DESPERATE STRUGGLE. A CURIOUS STORY. ; i (By Cable.—'Press Association.—Copyright.) (Received 11.30 a.m.) MJiLBOUIINE, this day. As a sequel to the robbery of the Cam-erbury branch of the Commercial Bank ou July 30, Alfred William Cdiittock has been arrested and is charged ; with the theft of a sum of £522.— (A. ■ and N.Z. Cable.) Tho Chittock mentioned here is preI suniably the bank teller who was stated ■ to have put up a desperate struggle with a ruiliau who broke into the bank and took the iuouoy. The inference is that a, carefully planned theft and a cleverly concocted story are features of a remarkable affair. The story goes that when he arrived at the bank in the morning the manager, I Mr. Morgan, found that the telephone j was out of order. A few minutes later la. neighbouring shopkeeper came in and told him that he wan wanted by his I head otiice on the shop telephone. As Mr. Morgan left to go to the telephone the bank teller, Mr. W. Chittock, I entered the building. He was con- ! ! fronted by an armed man, who told him ! not to move or he would be shot. ! The intruder is said to have then ; snatched the bank revolver from the j wall and grabbed a handful of notes I from a drawer. I Mr. Chittock ran to procure another revolver iv the manager's room. As he secured the weapon the robber closed with him. Mr. Chittock fired one shot at his assailant, but missed him. The man replied with two shots, ! which wounded Mr. Chittock in the foot j and in the hand. The thief then escaped | through the back door. ] The robbery had evidently been care- | fully planned, as the bank's telephone | wires had been cut. The manager found I when he reached the shop that he was i not wanted on the telephone. An I accomplice of the thief had apparently 1 rung him up to decoy him from the ' bank. The other man it is thought must have obtained entrance to the premises in the early hours of the ; morning. ! After Mr. Chittock fired the first shot i the intruder closed with him, and a dcs- ! perate struggle followed. The furni- : ture was upset and smashed, and eventually the revolver was wrenched from the teller's hand. ! The man fired two shots, wounding ■ Mr. Cliittock in the left hand and left ! foot, compelling him to release his hold. ! The robber then rushed to the counter j and secured the notes, escaping over a j fence. He dropped twenty-eight £1 j notes, which were found later by the manager, who had gone out to try to j get into telephone touch with the head office. The police were called quickly to the scene, but failed to discover any clue. | Mr. Cliittock, who is a returned sol- I dier, was conveyed to hospital. His r wounds were not serious. j The neighbouring shopkeepers heard shots, but thought the bank employees were indulging in a little practice. It is evident from the manner the telephone wires were cut, and alacrity with which the robber seized the teller's revolver, he had knowledge of the banking premises.