MASKED INTRUDERS

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 94, 15 January 1932, Page 12

MASKED INTRUDERS

Violence in a Bank WOMAN SANDBAGGED Husband Fights Assailant By Telegraph—Press Association. Invercargill, January 14. On Tuesday night the Inspector of Police at Invercargill received word from Edendale that two masked men, one carrying a rifle, entered the premises of the Bank of New South Wales on a hold-up. A detachment of police was sent immediately. The manager, Mr. Archibald, and his wife are both suffering from shock. The latter received bruises on the forehead and a cut on the cheek from an improvised sandbag. The intruders gained entry through the open window of the sitting-room in the front of the house and walked down the lighted hallway to the kitchen, where Mr. Archibald and his wife were reading. Hearing footsteps, the latter got up from the chair and on opening the door the assailant rushed and hit her, knocking off her glasses, and a second hit was received on her cheek. Her husband rushed to his wife’s assistance, and pushed her past him, enabling her, with great presence of mind, to rush out the back door and call for help. She was followed by a man armed with a rifle, which was loaded. Meanwhile the husband struggled with the second man, who hit out with a sandbag, which burst as it struck Mr. Archibald’s • head. He then followed outside to the help of his wife, who had run to the next door neighbour. The husband proceeded down the street and called further assistance, but on returning found no trace of the intruders, who had decamped, The general opinion is that though it was a determined attempt, the wouldbe robbers once the alarm was given were afraid'to carry out their object of obtaining the keys of the bank premises. '■

On the night previous to the hold-up a blacksmith’s premises a few doors away from the bank were burglariously entered and an attempt made to set them on fire. The attempt failed owing to early detection by a passerby.