Chch robbery hunt extends to N.I.

Press, 20 July 1977, Page 6

Chch robbery hunt extends to N.I.

Christchurch and Welling(iton detectives have so far] i drawn a blank in their hunt (for two men who carried (out on Monday the biggest i Totalisator Agency Board i robbery in New Zealand. ( The men — wearing masks I cut from jersey sleeves — i escaped with $13,000 in cash ; after hitting the Addington i T.A.B. branch manager from (behind with a softball bat. i The manager. Mr A. C. Walpole, of Avondale Road. i Burwood, who suffered head (injuries, was reported in a comfortable condition in Princess Margaret Hospital yes-’ ' terday. I The hospital authorities , said last evening that his condition had improved. Extensive inquiries into the robbery were being conducted in Wellington as well as Christchurch, said the officer in charge of the case. Detective Senior-Sergeant A. G. I. Rodgers, of the Christchurch C. 1.8. He declined to say why the investigation had been tended to Wellington. 1 Despite the extended in- ‘ quiries — 16 detectives were>! assigned to the case in Christchurch yesterday — no arrest had been made by last even- ‘ ing. “We have little idea where the offenders came from,” . said Detective Senior- , Sergeant Rodgers. ( One of the robbers was de- j scribed as a very heavily j built European, about 195 cm s (6ft 4in) tall, and aged in his j 20s or early 30s. At the time of the robbery he was wearing brown collar- t length hair, and a grey bush j shirt with red and green « checks. j His companion is described f as a Maori, aged between 20 s and 30, about 173 cm (sft Bin)

tall, of thin build, with a 1 moustache. Four men yesterday faced I joint charges of attempting to rob a woman, and burgling |the Grey Lynn T.A.8.. the Press Association reported. Before Mr J. H. Hall. S.M., were Milton Andrew Huddlej ston, aged 21. painter, of New i Plymouth; Wayne Jordan, (aged 25, an unemployed cook: i Derek Lance McFarland, aged 20, an unemploy ed fisherman; and Steven Mark Morman, aged 21, a painter, all of Auckland.

i Each faced a joint charge of burglary and a joint charge 1 of attempting to rob Mai- > garet Barbara Manning. i The charges were laid in- ■ dictably and the four were remanded in custody for the . taking of depositions on ■ August 19 Huddleston admitted a . charge of breach of proba- : tion. and this case was ad--1 joumed for sentence on : August 19 Applications for bail by the duty solicitor, Mr R. Stapleton, were declined.