Bank robberies more brazen, violent

A bank robber armed with a pump-action shotgun wished a terrified customer a Merry Christmas as he fled to his getaway car with about $100,000 cash.

The man, and another carrying a long screwdriver, threatened customers - including a pregnant woman and another with a child - and staff after bursting into the BNZ at Botany in East Auckland.

One of the bank staff members had been robbed four times before.

Police yesterday issued pictures of the Merry Christmas robbers and asked for public help to solve last week's heist.

The men are thought to have been involved in other robberies in South Auckland over the past 18 months.

Police said the robbery was worrying. "It's very concerning because of the fact that they're using a shotgun and other weapons and are prepared to brazenly do it in the middle of the day," said Detective Vaughn McAllister.

"God knows what would have happened if someone had confronted them.

"Staff and customers dived for cover as the men cleaned out the tills and possibly also a safe. They stole one bulk lot of $94,000 and also several thousand American dollars."

A third man waited outside in a car stolen from an Onehunga shopping centre earlier in the day and backed up to the bank's doors.

This year, 37 New Zealand banks have been robbed - well down on last year's record of 88.

But authorities say robberies are becoming more brazen and violent.

Most of this year's robberies have been in Auckland, the majority in the South Auckland area.

The BNZ branch at Flat Bush was closed on December 11 because it had been robbed so many times.

"We closed it because of the spate of robberies that occurred there. It was deemed to be high risk for our staff and customers," said BNZ national security and fraud manager Owen Loeffellechner.

In 18 months, there were three robberies, one attempted robbery and a cash-in-transit robbery at the Flat Bush branch.

Staff were transferred to the Botany branch - and robbed again four working days later.

"There is a high likelihood that several of them are linked," said Mr Loeffellechner. "This is really significant. They were extremely hostile robberies."

Mr Loeffellechner said the reduction in robberies was the first in three years.

"But even though the frequency might be down, the modus operandi is far more violent."

Robberies were once generally "passive" or "soft", with notes passed rather than weapons presented.

Mr Loeffellechner said robberies were a crime against people, not the bank.

"Whether it's $25 or $25,000 taken, the effect is still the same on the tellers and the customers. These offenders are violent and aggressive.

"How many other vocations are there where you go into work in the morning and it's highly likely someone will point a gun at your face?"

He was disappointed police had revealed how much was stolen from the Botany branch.

Disclosing how much cash had been taken only encouraged people to rob banks.

He said committing bank robberies was ultimately too high of a risk for very little reward.

"It's putting people's lives at risk. Disclosing the amount just gives the offenders more incentive."

- Anyone with information on the robbery should phone the Counties Manukau crime squad on 027- 497-4912, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800-555-111.