Man, 21, in court over Manukau bank robbery

A man who allegedly robbed a south Auckland bank earlier this week appeared in court today.

Russell Lolesio, 21, was charged in Manukau District Court today with robbing the National Bank in Manukau on Monday.

He was arrested after public response to a release of security camera footage which showed an unmasked man carrying out the robbery.

A sum believed to be less than $10,000 was taken.

Lolesio was remanded in custody until tomorrow for a bail application.

Meanwhile, police continue to hunt for robbers who escaped with $200,000 from an Armourguard security van outside the BNZ Bank in Manukau City last Friday on Friday.

A balaclava-clad man, carrying a sawn-off shotgun, threatened the driver before grabbing six large money bags and fleeing in a stolen getaway car driven by an accomplice.

Six money bags were found inside a 1998 white Subaru Impreza WRX sedan on Tuesday.

The vehicle was stolen from a public carpark in the old Papatoetoe shopping centre about 40 minutes before Friday's robbery.

Detective Sergeant Simon Irving said the bags and other items of interest found in the car were taken away for forensic examination.

- NZPA