Police angry after bank ‘robbery’ call

Press, 15 May 1985, Page 2

Police angry after bank ‘robbery’ call

PA Wellington A fake robbery at the Petone branch of the Bank of New Zealand, staged for the benefit of a television crew, triggered a full scale armed police alert yesterday. A “very angry” Inspector Lindsay Hunter said the safety of innocent people was put at risk. The police had been given no prior warning of the fake hold-up, staged about 10 a.m. About 20 armed police were sent to Petone from Lower Hutt, Wellington, Upper Hutt and Porirua and a cordon thrown round Jackson Street, Petone, after a member of the public telephoned to say the bank was being held up by armed men.

The police watched three

men outside the bank believed to be suspects while contact was made by phone with bank staff inside. It then became obvious that filming of a fake robbery had been taking place. Mr Hunter said a hazard had been caused to innocent people, bank employees and members of the television crew by the failure to inform the police of what was happening. The action of the television crew was either irresponsible or done in ignorance, he said. He thought bank staff could have informed the police about the fake robbery. Mr Hunter said he had been “very angry” when he heard what happened. The police had to rush to the scene in a southerly storm,

presenting a hazard to the public. While there had been no danger of anyone’s being shot there were injury risks in such cases.

Many people had been in the street outside the bank at the time, including children. Police were alerted when three actors wearing balaclavas and carrying imitation weapons stepped outside the bank briefly so that the documentary film crew could get a shot of them charging into the premises. The director, Mr Mike Single, said he had not informed the police as the short clip was to have been filmed entirely within the bank.

He said the scare was obviously serious and apologised to the police.