Robbers Defied

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 7249, 31 August 1933, Page 5

Robbers Defied

AMAZING BANK RAID

Bank clerks assisted by a number of meat porters armed with poles, who barricaded the building, frustrated a sensational armed raid on the Scotswood Road branch of Lloyds Bank at Newcastle England. Three minutes before the bank closed for public business threo men wearing black masks, and each armed with a revolver, entered the bank, and, while one held the cashier, Mr. P. Harrison, at bay with weapon, the two others vaulted the counter and began to fill their pockets with notes and coins. The cashier although covered at point-blank range with the revolver, picked up a heavy bag of coin and threw it in the face of his assailant, and then closed with him He was knocked out, however, presumably by a blow on the jaw from the butt end of the revolver. Meanwhile a bank cierK at the back of the premises had broken a window and shouted for help. The bank stands in the middle of a number of wholesale meat shops, and the meat porters, hearing the shouts for help, armed themselves with poles and ran round the main enterance of the bank, where they closed doors and held them while the police and fire brigade were sent for. Other porters joined in the struggle inside the bank. Hearing the smashing of glass when the clerk broke the window to give the alarm the raiders attempted to escape, and when they found the front door closed ono of them dashed to a window at the back of the bank and attempted ever, by a musular meat porter who ever, by a muselar meat porter who promptly knocked him down with a pole. Meanwhile the police were racing to the scene in two staff cars. One man disappeared into the vaults, of 3M jsm ffwt