Robbers left more cash

Press, 15 February 1979, Page 1

Robbers left more cash

PA Auckland The men who committed New Zealand’s biggest robbery yesterday, grabbing a 8278,000 Auckland Post Office payroll from two security men, could have got a lot more from the security truck carrying the cash. Detectives confirmed last evening that there was a good deal more cash inside the Armoured Freightways security truck which made the run.

The company was reluctant to disclose any details, but one detective said: “There was certainly more where it came from, but just how much I have no idea.”

A company executive was also unwilling to put a finger on the number of men delivering the Post Office payroll to the regional engineer’s headquarters. But the man leading the police inquiry, Detective Inspector P. L. Ward, said

there were just two men on the job. He was concerned that two men — one in his early 50s and the other in his mid 20s — should be responsible for the safe passage of the money.

“I think that the time has arrived when we have to take greater security measures when moving cash — especially from the vehicle to the destination,” he said. “I think a lot of things have to be reassessed.” The armoured vehicle delivered the payroll, $261,500 of it in $2O notes, in a grey metal box. The two guards, Messrs C. R. Willoughby and G. Carlise, put the box on a trolley and pushed it the few feet into the Federal Hoqse foyer in Federal Street.

Mr G. Bunkali, a young Post Office cashier, met them there to guide them by lift to an upper floor.

The two robbers were apparently waiting by the lift. One carried a pistol and the other what ap-

peared to be a softball bat.

“The man with the gun pointed it at us,” Mr Bunkail said later, “he told us to get into the corner and lie face down ”

Mr Carlisle pleaded with the assailants, “Don’t hit us.” But he apparently moved too slowly and was hit on the arm by the wooden instrument as he shielded his face. The man with the pistol grabbed the box and raced along the foyer on to Federal Street. His colleague waited a few moments — standing over the security guards and Mr Bunkail with the weapon — before fleeing the building.

Outside, Mr John Buckton, aged 18, spotted the man with the box and watched him throw it in a back door of a light-green Morris Marina car.

“He saw me as he opened the driver’s door,” he said. “We looked at each other for a moment. He looked a dangerous

type. He looked pretty wild, and I would not say boo to him.”

The young driver storeman noted the back number plate as the car drove up Federal Street and disappeared into Victoria Street. The car, which was later found to have been stolen from Eden Terrace overnight, had still not been found late last evening. Detective Inspector Ward, who is leading 20 detectives on the inquiry, said the police were “desperate” to trace the car. Detectives were combing the central city area and looking at likely hiding places, such as old factories.

“We want the help of everyone on this,” said Mr Ward. Perhaps the cars is over someone’s back fence. Perhaps it is in the harbour.”

The wanted men are both believed to be Polynesians and aged between 28 and 32. They were both wearing balaclavas and overalls.