Man arrested over aggravated bank robberies

File photo / NZ Herald

An Onehunga man appeared in Auckland District Court this morning following two aggravated bank robberies on Monday.

Arapeta Hiraka, 30, a Machine Operator, has been charged with assault with intent to rob and aggravated robbery in relation to offences at Lynfield ASB bank at 11.20am and at Pakuranga Westpac at 12.30pm.

Avondale CIB are investigating the aggravated robberies and are seeking others believed to be involved.

Detective Sergeant Jason McIntosh says a Pakuranga resident who noticed suspicious behaviour prior to and shortly after the latter incident recorded some valuable information and passed it on to police.

"Once again, a member of the public has been able to assist a Police investigation to the extent we were able to make an arrest yesterday afternoon.

"We'd very much like to hear from anyone else who we've not already spoken with in relation to activities around both the Lynfield and Pakuranga robberies or to anyone who has observed suspicious behaviour where people used, then abandoned, vehicles in those areas on Monday.''

Mr Hiraka is due to reappear in court later this week.

A Westpac spokesman said staff received all the support that Westpac could give them following the robbery but declined to comment further.