Boot numbers clue?

Press, 26 January 1980, Page 2

Boot numbers clue?

’A Wellington A series of numbers written inside a boot might be a lead to the men who held bank staff hostage in Auckland earlier this month, the police believe. Detective Inspector G. F. Hugglestone said yesterday that the brown boot and its mate were left in the Syntonds St branch of the B?,nk, of New Zealand with several other items when the would-be robbers fled on January 11. The police had checked

50 possibilities for the numbers, including Australian and New Zealand telephone numbers, lottery tickets and bank accounts. The police would go to the public in the hope that someone might recognise what the numbers meant, he said. The numbers, written recently with a ball-point pen, above the boot instep, are 3481057 and have three squares containing a cross above them. Mr Hugglestone said it

appeared that the squares might have been doodles made while the • wearer waited for the number. The boots are less than two yea.rs old, and were made by Murray and Cook, Ltd, in Australia. They are not sold in New Zealand. The boots are size 7 or 71, with a leather upper and moulded plastic sole. The numbers 16/19 are also written inside the boot, further towards the instep.