Armourguard driver robbed of $200,000 at gunpoint

An armed man stole more than $200,000 from an Armourguard security van late yesterday afternoon, police said.

The money was taken at gunpoint from the van, which was outside a BNZ branch in Manukau City.

The gunman threatened the Armourguard driver at 5.22pm as he was about to put six bank bags into the security van, having just left the bank on the corner of Great South Road and Ronwood Avenue, Detective Senior Sergeant Dave Pizzini said.

The money was inside five large black bank bags and one large orange bank bag.

The alleged offender then got into a stolen 1998 white Subaru Impreza WRX sedan driven by another person, which had been parked in the BNZ customer carpark.

This car, with the registration number END922, was stolen from a public carpark in the old Papatoetoe shopping centre at about 4.45pm yesterday, Mr Pizzini said.

Counties Manukau Detectives would like to hear from anyone who saw the car immediately before or after the robbery. The public are also being asked to keep an eye out for the bank bags.

The gunman was described as of solid build, wearing a black balaclava over a peaked cap, white gloves, dark sweatshirt, blue jeans and sneakers.

* Anyone with any information about the robbery is asked to call Detective Senior Sergeant Dave Pizzini at Counties Manukau Police on (09) 261 1300.

- NZPA