Linwood hold-up third in week

Press, 21 October 1989, Page 11

Linwood hold-up third in week

By NEIL CLARKSON Two robbers brandishing shotguns staged the third armed hold-up of the week in Christchurch last evening, fleeing with about $20,000 from the Trust Bank Linwood branch.

They entered the Stanmore Road bank at 4.30 p.m., brushing aside a security guard and ordering him to the floor. The only customer, a woman filling out a deposit slip, was also ordered to lie down. One robber leapt the counter and the contents of the cash drawers were emptied into a bag.

The robbers ran from the bank to a waiting Ford Falcon utility driven by an accomplice. The utility, stolen from Durham Street about 90 minutes before the hold-up, was last seen heading north along Stanmore Road.

The vehicle, registration number KO 3323, had not been found by late last evening. It belongs to BM Radiators, Ltd. Both robbers were Maori and wore long trench coats. One was of average height and stocky build, had a scruffy moustache, and wore a green balaclava. The other was tall, of medium

build, with long, black shoulderlength hair. He wore jeans and dark mirrored sunglasses. Detective Sergeant Rob .Scott said the shotguns were singlebarrelled and may have been cut down.

About eight staff were working at the time. It is understood they were also made to lie bn the floor.

Detective Sergeant Scott said the police were looking at whether there was a link to the two other Christchurch robberies this week.

“We have no firm evidence of that at this stage.”

On Monday two men burst into the ANZ Addington branch, one with a double-barrelled shotgun.

They made off in a stolen car with about $10,009.

That afternoon two men confronted two Securitas officers who had just loaded takings from New Brighton’s Deka store into their van.

The robbers, one carrying a cut-down shotgun, made off with $44,000 in cash and cheques.

No arrests have been maue.