ARMED ROBBERY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20114, 27 November 1928, Page 8

ARMED ROBBERY.

MEN WITH REVOLVERS,

MOTORISTS HELD UP,

THIEVES TAKE THE CAR.

PURSUIT STOPPED BY SHOT.

SENSATION AT WESTFIELD.

A sensational hold-up at the point of tho revolver and a thrilling effort at pursuit, foiled by the firing of two shots from tho revolver, one of which punctured a tyre of the pursuing motor-cycle and sidecar, took place oh the Great South Road, near Westfield, at one o'clock this morninp-.

Messrs. R. Henderson, L. Manson, Eric Manson and Mrs. Henderson, who were in a motor-car returning from the Tc Kuiti races, were stopped by three men, two of whotn had revolvers and th reatened to shoot. At the point of the revolvers money, watches and other valuables were handed over. Then, still under cover of the revolvers, the three men dashed into (he motor-car belonging to their victims and sped away. Chase by Motor-cyclists. Within a minule or two, Mr. Perry Fletcher, of 2, Matai Road, Ellerslie, and Mr. D. S. Wallace, of 2, Railway Street, Newmarket, arrived in a motorcycle and sidecar. They were on their way from Ngaruawahia to Auckland, and when thev got near Westfield they found trees and wood blocking the road. Tl ey managed to get through and a few yards further on reached the three men and the woman who had been robbed. starting out in pursuit of this robbers, Messrs. Fletcher and Wallace set. off at top speed. They had gene only three or four hundred yards when they saw two cars in front. One was wrecked, and as they approached the other they saw a man leap on to the running-board and tin* car dashed away at a great pace with th'j lights switched off. Two Shots from Revolver. Messrs. Fletcher and Wallace had given chase for about one hundred yards when thu man on tho running-board fired two shots with a revolver. One punctured the wheel of tho side-car. Thus crippled, further chase, was impossible. Messrs. Fletcher and Wallace hastened to a nearby house and sent word through to the police.' This was at ten minutes past one, only a-quarter of an hour after the hold-up. had been committed. Shortly before 2 o'clock a. parly of defectives arrived on the. scene from the city. Mr. Henderson said that when the car was approaching a bridge near Westfield the lights showed a barricade arross the ro£,d. He pulled up, whereupon two men rushed out from the side of flic road and jumped on the running-board. Each had a revolver. Hidden Money Recovered. The robbers ordered the party to get out; of the car, telling the men to take off their coats and waistcoats and place them in the car. "We were powerless to resist," said Mr. Henderson. "I could not do anything, because one man stuck a revolver into my chest." • The men forced the party to walk some distance back, then jumped into the car an 1 drove away. Mr. Henderson said the Mansons had a fair amount of money on them and had the presence of mind to put it under tho back seat of the car as soon as the pa rty was held up. Tho car was eventually found abandoned at Penrose, and the police believe tho robbers then got into their own car. On the south side, where Mr. Henderson's car was found, there was a wide caipel of tacks on the road. In the car were tho coats and waistcoats witfi pockets open and showing other signs of having been rifled. The money hidden bv tho two Mansons was recovered intact from under the back seat.