ROBBERY UNDER ARMS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 2 November 1926, Page 6

ROBBERY UNDER ARMS.

MASKED MEN IN MELBOURNE

MELBOURNE, Oct. 16. “Cough up” AA-as demanded of Michael Nicholas, the proprietor of a cafe in Chapel Street, Prahean, early this morning as he was putting the takings from his till into his pocket. Two masked and armed men stood before him in front of the cash register Avhich is just inside the door. He Avas moving toivards the door Avith the money bag in his hand AA r hen the men burst on him. Nicholas tried to close the door A\-ith the men on the outside, but he AA-as too late. “Not a Avord!” commanded one man, as he .pushed a revolver into Nicholas’s ribs. The other man grabbed Nicholas by the throat. It Avas this man who told Nicholas to “cough up,” aud he seemed by his actions to be anxious to assist his victim. Nicholas Avas so startled by the suddenness of the attack that he could not reply to the men, but he made a move AA-ith his arm. This action brought from the armed robbers the injunction, “If you move a stop we Avill drill you.” One of the men pulled the money bag out of his pocket and put it in his OAV-n. The bag contained £25. Then both intruders backed tOAvards the door, and one of them said, “Don’t move for five minutes, until we turn the corner, or you’ll be a dead man.”

They ran through the door and down Chapel Street tOAvards Grey Street. There Avere very few people about, as it was 1 a.m. Avlien Nicholas commenced to count his cash. Nicholas obeyed the robbers for five minutes. Then he told a policeman who passed on his beat. The night patrol was called out, and a man Avas detained, but Avas subsequently liberated. While the robbery was going on Nicholas’s tAVO brothers Avere upstairs. They, however, did not hear anything. In the same locality less than a month ago a produce merchant AA-as held up by three men just as he was closing liis store. Ou that occasion, hoAvever, the robbers got nothing, as their intended victim pushed them out into the street and called for help. The men took to their heels.