Man jailed for armed robbery of post office

Press, 25 February 1986, Page 26

Man jailed for armed robbery of post office

PA Wellington A live cartridge had been found with a firearm used for a post office hold-up, said Mr Justice Heron in the High Court at Wellington. He jailed Lawrence Milton Grau, aged 23, for four years for aggravated robbery. On charges of unlawful possession of a pistol and unlawfully taking a motorvehicle, Grau was convicted and discharged.

His Honour said the aggravated robbery involved the hold-up of the Pukerua Bay Post Office

at the end of last year. Grau and another offender, who wore disguises, held up the postmistress. Grau did not cany the weapon but it was clearly a joint enterprise.

“You took the money, a little under $3OOO, and the postmistress was pushed into a room,” said His Honour. “She apparently suffered no other harm. She wasn’t bound or gagged, but it must have been a distressing incident for her.” His Honour said he was not told what condition

the firearm was in, but Crown counsel had properly drawn his attention to the fact that when the weapon was discovered later it had been dismantled, but with it was a live shotgun cartridge. He said that, putting aside the 1979 offences, Grau had been jailed in 1981 for six months for what must have been serious burglary offences. “Since then there has been some scattered offending involving relativeljte minor, but nevertheless serious crimes,” said His Honour.