HOLD-UP ATTEMPT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22619, 6 January 1937, Page 12

HOLD-UP ATTEMPT

MELBOURNE BANK SEVERAL SHOTS FIRED ESCAPE MADE EMPTY-HANDED [ I'ItOM OL'lt OWN (OJtltrSl'OXDK.Vf] MKLBOURXI3, Dec. :U 'J'lireo shots fired by bunk officials frightened a bandit who attempted a "liold-up" at the Sandringhain branch of tho Commercial Bank of Australia just before closing time on Tuesday, the Jirst day on which the bank was open after the Christmas holidays. The bandit iled, ami escaped ill a motor-car which was standing outside the premises. Sandringham is an outer suburb of Melbourne.

The ban!; had transacted heavy business during the day, following tho Christinas shopping season, and several hundreds of pounds had been received bv the teller, Mr. Gerald Ellis. A few minutes before .'5 p.m. a man walked into the bank and asked for change of a J~l note. Then, feeling iu his pockets, the man said, "Oh, 1 must have left the money in the car." Teller Acts Promptly Tho man walked outside, but returned quickly. With his left hand in his coat pocket he jerked up the side of his coat as though ho was handling a revolver and said to Mr. Ellis: "Stick them up or I'll plug you." Mr. Ellis put up his hands, but at the same time sank down behind the counter out of range of tho weapon. Ho seized from the till tho revolver ho kept there and fired over the top of the counter. The bullet hit tho ceiling and attracted attention to the attempted hold-up. At an adjoining counter was Mr. Harold McArthur, clerk at the bank. When he saw what was happening lie bent down and seized a bottle of methylated spirits, which was on the floor, intending to throw it at the bandit to distract his attention. Before he could do so. however, another shot was fired—this time by the manager of the bank, Mr. Francis Perry, who hail rushed from his office at tho sound of the first shot. Manager Comes On Scene Mr. Perry fired from his office door, which provides a clear view of the public portion of the bank and is about 15ft. away. The bandit drew his weapon from his pocket, showing that his earlier gesture was not based on pretence, and pointed it at Mr. Ellis. The latter fired another shot, whereupon the man turned and ran out of tho front door to a car, the engine of which had been left running. The car. it was revealed later, had been stolen in the city an hour earlier. It was noticed cruising round Sandringham about half an hour later, and at one ]>eriod was parked outside tho State Savings Bank. The police believe that the man acted lone-handed. Just an hour after the attempted hold-up the car driven by the bandit was involved in a collision in the suburb of East Malvern. The man alighted and walked quietly away without attracting much attention. The police are still searching for him.