Moment of terror: Bank robbed at gunpoint

Customers do exactly as they are told and try not to move as the robber holds up the National Bank in the Albany Westfield Mall on Friday afternoon. Photo / Supplied

Terrified bank customers cowered as a man pointed his pistol at tellers and ordered them to hand over their money.

Footage from the CCTV cameras at the National Bank in Albany's Westfield Mall clearly showed the young man - who was wearing a hooded sweatshirt and dark sunglasses - holding the pistol while a teller counted out notes and forcing a customer to get down on his knees.

Three other customers were in the queue behind him and other people were in the background.

It appeared the robber approached the first teller and pulled out his pistol before moving towards another teller, who was with a customer.

The man forced the customer to stay on his knees while the teller pulled notes from her till.

The robber grabbed the notes using his free hand and appeared to demand that she reach for more.

Then, gripping a fat wad of cash, the man appeared to point his pistol towards the roof and addressed the other tellers in the row.

The officer in charge of the investigation, Detective Sergeant Adam Lough, said the aggravated robbery happened at 2pm yesterday when about 20 people were in the branch.

"He was very aggressive in his manner and demanded money from tellers."

The man appeared to be Asian, in his 20s and of medium to athletic build.

He was wearing a long-sleeved hoodie believed to be grey or blue with a white pattern in the material.

Mr Lough said the offender turned right out of the bank and walked towards the New World supermarket.

Anybody who was in the Albany Westfield Mall yesterday afternoon and who may have seen the robber or knows who he is can contact the North Shore CIB by phoning (09) 477-5000.