Masked gunmen rob T.A.B.

Press, 23 October 1984, Page 4

Masked gunmen rob T.A.B.

PA Wellington Three masked men, two’ armed with cut-down firearms, robbed a Wellington T.A.B. office last evening. The men forced their way into the Mount Victoria home of the manager and after tying up his wife forced him to go with them to the agency in Adelaide Road, Newtown. There the manager was made to open the safe, the police said. The manager was tied up before the robbers, all wearing dark overalls and full-face balaclavas, left.

They used his car to drive from his home to the office, then to leave the T.A.B. The car was later found abandoned on a dirt track behind Rugby League Park. The police were called about 8.30 p.m. when the manager freed himself. His wife, who also freed herself, called police about the same time. Though weapons were carried by the men they were not fired. The police believe the robbers probably forced their way into the manager’s home about 7.30 p.m.

Detective Sergeant Ken Burt, the officer in charge of the inquiry, would not say whether any person had stayed with the manager’s wife while the manager was taken to the T.A.B. Mr Burt said he could not say how much had been taken. Police dogs were used to check the area where the manager's car was found to see if they could track the men. It was thought they had swapped to another car which had been left earlier in the evening.