BANK RAIDERS

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 July 1933, Page 9

BANK RAIDERS

ESCAPE PREVENTED. .NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE, June 8. Three armed and masked men who attempted to hold up the Cattle Market branch of Lloyds Bank at Newcastle this afternoon suffered the indignity of being: “Bombed” with bags of silver and copper by the staff; and Prevented from escaping by butchers armed with meat choppers. Later in the day three men, said to have come from Glasgow, were treated by the police surgeon for severe head injuries, and retained in custody. A vivid description of the beginning of the raid was given by Mr. Kenneth Richardson, who happened to be in the bank on business at the time. “There was a sudden rush and bustle,” he said, “and when I looked round there were three men with revolvers and wearing black masks. “One ’said, ‘Put your hands up, ’’all of you, and keep still. Now kneel down and put your hands behind you.’ Some of us did so, and my hands were tied behind me.” While the five members of the bank staff were kept at a distance by the revolvers some oY tlie men jumped the counter and stuffed cash and bank notes into their pockets. A clerk tackled one of them and took his revolver.

POLICE DASH TO SCENE. By this time the alarm had been given. A meat salesman rushed into the bank, and, taking the captured revolver from the bank clerk, chased a man into the cellar, where he locked him in. ' , , , , In the meantime bank _ clerks had shaken tho confidence of the other men by throwing bags of silver and copper at them. The men turned to escape, but found their way stopped by meat salesmen, armed with staves and choppers, who were standing at the door. A shot was fired, but the acting bank manager, whose face and clothes were smeared with blood, said: “Nobody was hit. I think it must have been, a blank shot. if we had known what was on these fellows would not have had an earthly chance.” Bl this time the bank showed signs of battle and there were patches of blood on the floor. Tho shriek of sirens now heralded the arrival of the police as they dashed up from headquarters, a mile away, some on a fire-engine, a shopkeeper having given a fire alarm, some in a patrol wagon, and others hanging on motor-cyclo combinations.