BERLIN GUNMEN

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 October 1932, Page 2

BERLIN GUNMEN

ROBBERY UNDER ARMS. BERLIN, September 14. A motor-bandit robbery of unexampled impudence and ruthlessness took place to-day in one of the main streets of the West-end of Berlin.

Firing about 20 shots, the bandits killed one man and wounded another. A chase of some miles along the main thoroughfare followed, but the bandits got away—with booty amounting to upwards of £2,000. The stolen money should have paid the wages of an omnibus depot. It was being conveyed from a bank on the ground floor of the Charlottenburg Town Hall to a ’bus.

Two men carried the heavy ironbound chest in which it was contained, and two others stood by on guard. Exactly opposite the bank is a police station. When the two bearers were in the middle of the pavement four welldressed men drove up rapidly in a smart limousine, jumped out. and at once opened a brisk fire with revolvers.

An inspector, a man of about 50, who was in charge of the transport, fell mortally wounded as he was trying to take an alarm pistol, his only weapon, from his pocket. One of the men carrying the chest was struck by a bullet which, however, only grazed his arm. His companion was disabled by a vigorous kick. They dropped the box which the robbers at once carried to their car.

As the bandits drove off, two of them leant out of the windows and fired their revolvers at random on the traffic behind them to discourage pursuit.

The sudden fusilade started a panic which favoured the escape of the bandits. Women ran' screaming in all directions, and before those who could have taken practical measures realised what was happening the men were but of sight.

Many private cars set out in pursuit, but the bandits outpaced them. Later a high-powered car, which they had stolen, was found abandoned in a wood.