'Gutsy' teller's bid for freedom leads to arrest of bank robbers

The Wellsford BNZ was closed yesterday.

A "gutsy" bank teller who tried to make a break for freedom and an observant member of the public who ran for help played major roles in foiling a bank robbery yesterday morning.

The bank worker and two colleagues were at a meeting at the Bank of New Zealand in Wellsford when two masked men broke into the rear of the building.

The intruders, who were armed with knives, confronted the employees and told them to get on the ground, said Sergeant Paul Carstensen of Wellsford police.

However, one of the tellers, a woman believed to be in her early 30s, decided to make a run for it.

As she neared the front door of the bank one of the masked men grabbed her. She was punched, dragged back to the group and taken behind the counter.

"Fortunately a customer outside using the ATM happened to see this balaclava-clad offender grab the bank teller," said Mr Carstensen. "The customer has then come running down to the police station, which is not too far away, and informed us."

Mr Carstensen and two other armed officers went to the bank and found one of the robbers running out the back door with his pockets "stuffed full of cash".

He was arrested at gunpoint. A second man was caught trying to escape soon after, with bundles of cash rolled up in a jumper.

Police also found two knives and a bag of cash near the back door of the bank.

It is believed thousands of dollars had been stolen.

Mr Carstensen said the security cameras in the bank had been damaged during the robbery.

He said the bank teller and ATM customer had played vital roles in their capture.

"It was a gutsy call [by the bank teller] and it certainly helped us. I wouldn't recommend it. However, if it hadn't been for the actions of that person and the customer outside who saw what happened we would have certainly been a bit behind the eight-ball."

Two Wellsford men, aged 19 and 27, have been charged with aggravated robbery and kidnapping. They are due to appear in the North Shore District Court today.