Revolver Used in Hold-up

Manawatu Times, Volume LIX, Issue 7486, 9 June 1934, Page 6

Revolver Used in Hold-up

Post Office Relieved Of £sl in Banknotes WELLINGTON SOUTH SENSATION Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Last Night. An audacious and apparently careful-ly-planned robbery took place at Wellington South to-day when, at about 12.20 p.m., a mail walked into the Adelaide Road Post Office and compelled the officer in charge to stand back at the revolver point while he calmly helped himself to £sl iu banknotes from the till. Tho money safely in his pocket, the thief quickly left the building by tho front door, rushed up the street to a taxi-stand about 200 yards away, and telling tho laximan ho was in a great hurry, was taken to the city as far as Manners street, where be made off into a billiard saloon.

Upon entering the post office the robber engaged in conversation with the officer, Percivnl R. Hart, for some minutes concerning a-fictitious address and then suddenly jumped over the counter and produced a gun. “It was the biggest fright 1 have ever had in my life, 1 ' said Mr. Hart to-night. “I quickly made my way backward to the back door so as to run out to the street and give the alarm, but he said sharply, ‘ Gome back; do not. move.’ pointing the revolver menacingly at me. 1 had no other option than to do as I was told, and as I stood in front of the fireplace at the roar of the office he kept me carefully covered with the revolver in his right hand, and with his left he opened the till and calmly and carefully helped himself to the notes that were there. In all, about £sl found its way into his pocket. “After he had apparently taken a.J. ho wanted, for if ho had looked further he would have found about £2O more i„ notes, and the till was full of silver, he jumped over the counter hack into the office, and without saving a word, disappeared through the front door.” • Mr. Hart added: “I did not rush out after him, for fear of wlmt might greet me, but I made my way immediout of the back door into Drummond street and questioned boys and men in the vicinity if they had seen the man, whom I described. They replied that they had not. so I then went i-nek to the office and rang up the police and the Chief Postmaster.” Xt appears that the robber ran down to the Diamond taxi-stand, and telling the driver he was in a hurry, was driven into town, where he entered a billiard saloon. While tho actual hold-up was in progress. a small boy came into rlie Tost Office to buy a penny stamp, but although he apparently saw something v,-as happening, he did not give tie alarm. He was seen by the police afterward and was able to give a full description of the man, ns were two taximen. No arrest has yet been made