SUB-MACHINE GUN AIMED AT MANAGER

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 21980, 26 March 1946, Page 6

SUB-MACHINE GUN AIMED AT MANAGER

The teller was then hit over the head, apparently with the revolver, and he became unconscious. Just as the bandits were leaving the manager of the bank, Mr. S. L. E. Torrens, approached the premises. When on the steps the sub-machine gun was pointed at him. “For a moment I thought it was a joke,” he said, when interviewed. “But it was obvious that the men were deadly serious.” With a considerable amount of money in their possession the men left in the car, which had no number plates, and drove away in the direction of Palmerston North. The car had to turn a corner into the main street and also had to cross a long one-way traffic bridge over the Rangitikei River, where, it is believed, it was delayed. Later the car was found abandoned in gorse beside the road about a mile south of the bridge and the bandits were last reported to be driving a three-seater Buick 8 without number plates. A later message says it is believed that four men were involved in the robbery, the fourth man entering the bank from the rear and hitting the teller over the head while he was occupied in facing the bandit who had fired the shot at him. The bandits got away with cash amounting to approximately £2OOO.