A gentleman passes by

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33407, 13 December 1973, Page 1

A gentleman passes by

(N.Z. Press Association) AUCKLAND, Dec. 12. “A rather brave man” was how Miss N. M. Reid, of Manurewa, described a man who tried to rob her of $4OOO today. ‘‘He was only a lean fellow, not a very robust gentleman at all,” Miss Reid added. “Although I don’t suppose I can call him a gentleman, really.” Miss Reid, a director and company secretary for L. A. Griffiths, Ltd, wholesale merchants in Mount Eden Road, u'as returning to

work with a satchel containing $4OO0 —a week’s wages for the staff. When she drove into the company car park, she noticed a man standing at the entrance to the building. As she got out of the car, carrying her satchel, he rushed her. “He sent me flying,” she said. “He made a grab for the satchel, but I managed to keep hold of it. I don’t think he thought I had e.s much strength as I do, and, anyway, there are always a lot of people in the car park at that time of day. I think he was rather brave.”

Miss Reid held the bag tightly, and screamed as loudly as she could. “He took fright and fled when he heard the sound of my voice,’’ Miss Reid said. “But up to then it had been a real tug-of-war.” Miss Reid described her attacker as a young, slightly-built European. Miss Reid, although she will not tell her real , age, is not young. She also says she knows nothing about self-defence. All she knew was that she wanted her satchel more than “the gentleman” did.