Would-be robber lost his nerve

Press, 4 August 1976, Page 4

Would-be robber lost his nerve

PA Auckland A man believed to have been armed with a singlebarrel sawn-off shotgun lost his nerve when attempting to rob a dairy in Grey Lynn last evening. The man, described as a European in his early 20s, surprised Mr J. V. Kolo, the owner of the dairy, about 10 p.m. "I was cleaning up when I turned round and saw this man pointing a gun at me,” Mr Kolo said. "He told me to fill up with money a kleensak he was holding. I said we did not have any money, but he kept demanding.

“The man said: ‘lt’* loaded, this is for real’-— and then he pushed me,” Mr Kolo said.

His wife, Mrs A. B. Kolo, then came out from the back of the shop to see what was happening and the man pointed the gun at her. “I was so scared,” she said, “but then a customer came in and the man backed off and ran out of the shop without any money.” Detective Inspector M. G. Charles, of the Auckland C. 1.8., said the man had run into a nearby street and into a getaway car, a 1974 HQ Holden station waggon, thought to be blue in colour. Mr Charles said that the man had not fired any shots. He described him as slightly built and wearing a maroon pullover.