Armourguard confident thieves will be caught

CCTV footage of an armed man who stole more than $200,000 from an Armourguard security van on Friday evening. Photo / Supplied

Security company Armourguard is confident those responsible for a $200,000 armed robbery outside an Auckland bank on Friday will be caught.

The money, which was in six large bags, was snatched outside the BNZ branch in Manukau City as it was about to be loaded into an Armourguard van.

A balaclava-clad gunman, carrying a sawn-off shotgun, threatened the driver before grabbing the bags and escaping in a stolen getaway car driven by an accomplice.

A second Armourguard employee was understood to be in the bank, on the corner of Great South Rd and Ronwood Ave, at the time.

Armourguard general manager Ian Anderson said his company was helping police in their investigations as well as putting in its own resources where appropriate.

"Our systems and processes are such that we are very confident the offenders will be apprehended," he said.

Armourguard responded immediately to the incident to prevent danger to members of the public.

"Furthermore, our own procedures and processes ensured that a more significant amount of money was not stolen," he said.

"The two Armourguard staff members, who responded well to a volatile and dangerous situation, have been offered support and counselling."

The incident was the first armed robbery of an Armourguard vehicle in three years.

An Armourguard spokeswoman declined to elaborate on what made the company confident the offenders would be caught.

Police said they were still looking for the getaway car - a 1998 white Subaru Impreza WRX sedan, with registration number END922.

The car was stolen from a public carpark in the old Papatoetoe shopping centre about 40 minutes before the 5.22pm robbery.

Police repeated their appeal for public help in identifying the armed robber and the accomplice who drove him away from the bank's customer carpark.

The gunman was described as being of solid build and he wore a black balaclava over a peaked cap.

He also had on white gloves, a dark sweatshirt, blue jeans and sneakers.

Detective Sergeant Simon Irving said the robbery as well-planned and the van driver was taken by complete surprise.

"It was out of the blue," he said.

"The driver had not seen anyone following him."

A customer at nearby JD's Sports Bar saw the Subaru parked in the bank carpark moments before the raid with its passenger door open.

"I knew something was up when I saw the car reverse really fast hard up against the bank, then a guy in a balaclava came running around the corner carrying all these bags on his shoulder.

"He looked like he was going to drop the bags, then he jumped in the car and then it sped out of the carpark. The tyres screeched ... it was mad, I was trying to get my phone out to take pictures but it was all over in seconds. They were just gone."

- NZPA